A lovely and original English Restoration binding in red goatskin.

[DE BRITAINE (William)] “Human Prudence, or the Art By which a Man may Raise Himself and his Fortune to Grandeur. The Tenth Edition Corrected and very much Enlarged.
London: for Richard Sare, at the Grays-Inn-Gate in Holborn, 1710.

12mo. [163 x 98 x 20 mm]. [5]ff, 266pp. Bound in contemporary red goatskin, the covers tooled in gilt with a double fillet border, and outer single fillet panel, with scroll ornaments at the outer corners and the centre of each side, mitred to an inner triple fillet panel. The spine divided into six panels with gilt compartments, lettered in the second, the others tooled with fleurons and stars, the edges of the boards and turn-ins tooled with a gilt roll, marbled endleaves, gilt edges. (Minor scratch or natural flaw in the third panel of the spine, corners slightly bumped). Contained in a new black cloth drop-over box.
First published in 1680. All the early editions of this notable courtesy book are scarce, with ESTC online recording only nine copies of this edition (British Library, Cambridge, National Library of Scotland, University of London, Bodleian; Louisiana, Rice, Virginia and Yale). There are a few spots and occasional light browning but this is a very good copy.
Early ink inscription on front flyleaf “”E. Aston””, deleted with “”Mary Aston Jan 17. 1727/8″” written below. Armorial bookplate with ownership inscription “”Mary Galliard”” (possibly the same person).”