Easy lessons in Chinese: or progressive exercises to facilitate the study of that language, especially adapted to the Canton dialect.

Macao : Printed at the Office of the Chinese Repository, 1842. Octavo (220 x 145 mm), recent half calf over marbled papered boards, spine with gilt-ruled bands and contrasting title label lettered in gilt; separate title-leaves in Chinese characters and in English, dedication leaf, pp. ix, [1 blank], 287, [1 colophon]; one folding table with Chinese characters; text in English and Chinese; deaccession stamps of King’s College London and SOAS London to English title, verso of Chinese title, and colophon; a fine example.

Rare first edition of Samuel Wells Williams’ first book on China, an important early guide to learning the Chinese language for English speakers.

The American Presbyterian missionary and linguist Samuel Wells Williams (1812-1884) arrived in China in 1833 as supervisor of the printing press of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions at Canton. He later served as editor of The Chinese Repository; collaborated with Bridgman on the Chinese Chrestomathy in the Canton Dialect (1842); assisted Walter Medhurst in completing his English-Chinese Dictionary (1848); served as Secretary of the United States Legation to China (from 1855); wrote A tonic Dictionary of the Chinese Language in the Canton dialect (1856); played a key role in the negotiation of the Treaty of Tientsin, which ensured toleration of both Chinese and foreign Christians; and, on his return to America, was appointed the first Professor of Chinese language and literature in the United States at Yale.

Cordier, BS, 1685; Lust, 1067