18. York, printed and sold by John Wolstenholme, 1825, large in-4°, 30,5 x 24 cm, coloured frontispiece plate + vii + 436 pp + xxvi (appendix and index) + (2)nn pp + 3 further coloured plates , of which one double-page + a folding plan of a new concert room. (complete). Contemporary half calf, marbled boards, edges and endpapers, spine skilfully renewed. Rare account on the development of the music festival in Great Britain. Nearly 125 pages (of over 450 pp) are devoted to the history of festivals up till 1823. Handel and travelling Italian soprano's seemed to be the main ingredients in the second half of the 18th century. Festivals were organised to raise money, in many cases to finance health care and or hospitals..