Maurice Collis — The Great Within

London, Faber and Faber Limited, 1941. First edition. Cloth. A smart first edition of this episodic sketch of Chinese dynastic history, with the original price-clipped dust wrapper. First edition. Illustrated with sixteen plates and three maps, one of which is folding. Collated complete. An episodic sketch of Chinese dynastic history from the end of the Ming dynasty, split into three parts: the ruin of the Great Ming, the Great Ch'ing's opportunity, and the ruin of the Great Ch'ing. Written by Maurice Stewart Collis, an Irish administrator in Burma (Myanmar) when it was part of the British Empire, and afterwards a writer on Southeast Asia, China and other historical subjects. In the original full cloth binding. Externally, very smart with light shelf wear only. Original price-clipped dust wrapper is also smart with light shelf wear and minor chipping to the extremities. A small closed tear to the head of the spine. Minor sunning to the spine and a contemporary ink inscription to the front flap. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very bright and clean with light age toning to the endpapers. Very Good Indeed . Ill.: Not Stated. Very Good Indeed/Very Good.