Gardiner, John Sylvester John. A SERMON DELIVERED BEFORE THE CONVENTION OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH… TRINITY CHURCH, BOSTON, MAY 25, 1802…. Boston: H. Sprague, 1802. 8vo, disbound. 16 pp. *********** FIRST EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED on the half-title by Gardiner, "The Rev. Mr. Pi--- / From his friend the au[thor.]" Page 12 bears an early ink correction to the text, likely done by Gardiner's hand. John Gardiner (1765–1830) was, for 37 years, the best-known and influential Episcopal clergyman in Boston (Biographical Sketches.) He was born in Wales but moved to Boston at 5 years of age to be cared for by his grandfather. His studies, combined with the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, led him back to England for a time, though he would later return to America. He was ordained in 1787 in New York and was active in ministry through the late 1700s into the early 1800s.

Horizontal crease flattened with short closed tears at crease (outer margin), some toning and chipping along outer margin, final leaf with chip to margin touching some letters, tiny stamp to half-title and numbers inked to title.