THE FIELD BOOK: OR, SPORTS AND PASTIMES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM; COMPILED FROM THE BEST AUTHORITIES, ANCIENT AND MODERN. By The Author of "Wild Sports of The West". [W.H. Maxwell].

1833 1st edition. Large 8vo. Ppviii,616,catalogue[8 leaves of 16 16mo pages paginated backwards from p25 to p16]. B/w engravings. Half-bound leather/green cloth, decorative gilt spine, decorative end-papers.

"An enthusiastic admirer of rural sports from boyhood, the Compiler sought with avidity after any book connected with his favourite recreations, from which either amusement or information might be obtained. ...To produce a short and lucid compendium of all matter connected with the field, and which might be considered interesting to the sportsman, has been the object of the present compilation". Maxwell particularly mentions as sources White, Bewick, Blaine, Percivall, Cuvier, Montagu, Rennie, Brown and Blaine, Daniel, Davy, Strutt, Sebright, Moubray, Jesse and White of Selbourne, "he [the author] has received assistance from several leading gun-makers; and upon numerous subjects of general interest to the sportsman, In Colonel Hawker he acknowledges a Magnus Apollo," as well as "many anonymous works and authors ...have been extensively quoted". . . The author includes subjects "veterinary and ornithological", "canine descriptions and diseases", "piscatory subjects", "sporting antiquities", falconry, "breeding and management of game", natural history, "animal economy", whilst "Yacht-sailing has been slightly noticed; and had the limits of the work permitted, it should have held the prominent place to which it is so well entitled. [Because it] would almost prove that the elements themselves cannot bound the sportive enterprise of the true-born Briton". This book also includes parlour games such as chess and card games.