This beautifully engraved aquatint road book appears to have been published in parts. Indeed the finished work published in 1802 contains a series of fine aquatint views complete with its own title page. The accompanying list of contents bears an advert on the verso stating ‘Just published, Number IV. of the Imperial Guide; completing Volume I … The Author takes this opportunity most respectfully to notice, that the FIFTH or SUPPLEMENTARY NUMBER, on account of its unexpected magnitude, cannot be ready for delivery before the end of MAY next’. Indeed it is not believed to have been published at all. Volume I being the total issued. Therefore we can assume it was published in four parts, this being offered here is without question the first part as issued. It has the same initial pages of text although here again it differs in typesetting. It differs also from the completed work in 1802 most notably with the imprint date at the foot of the plates. On the finished work they are dated 1801, here they are dated from December 1798 to March 1799.

The second plate for the road from Stony Stratford to Coventry is an entirely different plate from that finally issued. It lacks any imprint but the reason for its demise is unclear. Also none of the ensuing plates were issued in the finished work, all appear to be unused. All in all a fascinating insight into the initial publication of a rare item. Fordham ‘Road-Books’ p. 46; Smith & Webb “James Baker’s Picturesque Plans” in The Map Collector no. 42 pp. 20-26.