Observations, relative chiefly to picturesque beauty, made in the year 1772, on several parts of England

"As the book’s title indicates, his main objective was to describe and sketch examples of "picturesque beauty" in natural scenery, but he was also keen on visiting country houses with landscaped parks, and his comments on The Leasowes, Shugborough, Studley Royal and Kedleston are all of interest. It at first circulated as a manuscript, and it was not until 1786 that it appeared in print, a second edition following in 1788 and this edition in 1792. Gilpin’s original illustrations, used for the first edition but seen to be inadequate and partially redrawn for the edition of 1788, were finally jettisoned for the present edition in favour of a more competent set of plates supplied by Samuel Alken and by W.S.Gilpin, who was both the author’s nephew and a professional drawing master"--abebooks website.