Instruction in the Mosaic Religion - Isaac Leeser - Philadelphia, 1830 - Dedication in Leeser's Handwriting

Instruction in the Mosaic Religion - Isaac Leeser - Philadelphia, 1830 - Dedication in Leeser's Handwriting
Instruction in the Mosaic Religion. Translated from the German of J. Johlson by Isaac Leeser. Philadelphia: Adam Waldie, 1830. English, some Hebrew. First edition.
English translation by Isaac Leeser of a composition in German by a teacher in a Jewish school in Frankfurt am Main, instructing Jewish youth as to the principles of their religion. An appendix at the end - short account of the Jewish ceremonial laws and customs.
The first book by Isaac Leeser to be printed in America.
Dedication in Isaac Leeser's hand on one of the blank pages at the beginning of the book: "To Professor Hurwitz, as a mark of his esteem, from the translator" [the dedication may have been addressed to Hyman Hurwitz (1770-1844), a professor of Hebrew and literature at University College, London].Isaac Leeser (1806-1868), one of the leaders of American Jewry, philosopher, literary editor and translator, born in Germany. Leeser was one of the pioneers of American Jewry, contributing greatly to the establishment of Jewish institutions and the preservation of Jewish religion and history. Among other things, he translated scripture to English and composed many essays and sermons.
VIII, 139 pp, 21.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Open tear to lower corner of the leaf with the dedication. Original binding, damaged, with stains and tears to spine (front cover partly detached). Stains to title page (resulting from the dedication). At the end of the book there are a number of dark pages due to the paper's acidification (some are dark on the margins only).
Singerman 489.
Provenance: Sassoon family collection.