ROWSON, Mrs [Susanna Haswell] (1762-1824). Trials of the Human Heart, a Novel. Philadelphia: printed for the author by Wrigley & Berriman and [vol 2:] by Mountford, Bioren, & Co., 1795.

Rare: the first edition of Rowson's 1795 epistolary novel, most recently recorded at auction in 1937 in Dr William C. Braislin's collection. The story of its longsuffering heroine Meriel Howard over the course of sixteen years includes attempted rape-incest at the hands of the man she believes to be her father, near prostitution to provide for her family, an unhappy marriage, and shipwreck. Ultimately, however, Meriel reunites with her lost love and true parents, finally achieving a happy marriage and home. In her preface, the author responds to William Cobbett's scornful criticisms of her work. She begins by noting the vulnerability of offering one's novel ("the offspring of my imagination") to the public and defends her work against the "incomprehensible" criticisms she has received: "It is with reluctance I find myself obliged to remark, that the literary world is infested with a kind of loathsome reptile. [...] One of these noisome reptiles, has lately crawled over the volumes, which I have had the temerity to submit to the public eye. I say crawled over them, because I am certain it has never penetrated beyond the title-page of any..." BAL 17002; Evans 29439; Sabin 73618; Wright 2256.

Four volumes bound in two, 12mo (167 x 100mm and 169 x 97mm). List of subscribers in first vol and title pages for all four vols (first volume lacking free endpapers, vol. 1 title page repaired, repaired tear to final leaf of vol.2; some general browning). Contemporary sheep, leather spine label (first vol rubbed, head of spine repaired, lacking spine label). Provenance: some early pen trials to endpapers and elsewhere in second vol.