1830 WILLIAM WILBERFORCE. On True Christianity - Gifted to His Goddaughter on His Death Bed.

Superb copy of Wilberforce's tour de force treatise contrasting cultural and authentic Christianity, in a fine leather binding, gifted to Wilberforce's own goddaughter, the granddaughter of his dear friend, Legh Richmond, Henrietta [Richmond] Ayre.

In the waning days of Wilberforce's life, he had the uncommon privilege of being aware that the end was in sight. And so, he organized meetings with dearly beloved friends and family and prepared special mementos for each, to be gifted to them after his death. 

The present is one of those special, sacred gifts offered by Wilberforce to his own goddaughter; the gift being effected by his widow, Barbara Wilberforce, in the days just after William's death. 

A meaningfully provenanced association copy of Wilberforce's most enduring work. 

Inscribed, in Barbara Wilberforce's hand:

To
Henrietta L. R. Ayre, Grandaughter [sic] to the excellent Legh Richmond and godaughter [sic] to the Author, This Book is presented by His Widow, in fulfillment of His desire expressed to her during the last week of his Life - 
East Farleigh. Nov. 19th. 1833. 

Legh Richmond [1772-1827] and William Wilberforce became friends in the wake of Richmond's initial reading the first edition [1797] of the present work. His response to Wilberforce led to his opening a correspondence with him shortly thereafter. They would go on to become close friends and allies in the causes of the poor, working class, women, children, and of course toward the abolition of the slave trade.  Richmond would shortly thereafter name his next-born son Thomas Wilberforce Richmond, in honor of his dear friend.

Legh Richmond was author of one of the most influential devotional stories of the time, almost continuously in print, The Dairyman's Daughter, which Richmond dedicated to his friend, William Wilberforce!

Wilberforce, William. A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians, in the Higher and Middle Classes in this Country, Contrasted with Real Christianity. London. T[homas] Cadell, in the Strand. 1830. 320pp.

A very good copy in fine British tan, straight grain calf with geometric tooling to boards, tooled compartments on the spine, etc., Some general rubbing, but solid and clean. Lacking its original morocco spine label, though the blind titling still present.