The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, 5 volumes.
MACAULAY, Lord Thomas Babington. The History of England from the Accession of James the Second. London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1855–1861. 5 vols.
8vo. Half brown morocco over textured cloth boards, spines with 5 raised bands, gilt in compartments. Marbled edges. Vol. I: eleventh edition, 1856; Vol. II: eleventh edition, 1856; Vol. III: first edition, 1855; Vol. IV: first edition, 1855; Vol. V: first edition, 1861.
These works cover the seventeen years from the accession of James II in 1685 through to the death of William III in 1702 — the Glorious Revolution, the Bill of Rights, the transformation of England's constitutional settlement — narrated with the confidence of a man who believed, not without reason, that he was writing the vindication of everything England had become. Macaulay died in December 1859 with the fifth volume unfinished; it was completed and seen through the press by his devoted sister, Lady Trevelyan, whose editorial stewardship of her brother's legacy was itself an act of considerable scholarly care.
This set — with the eleventh editions of Volumes I and II and the first editions of Volumes III, IV, and V — represents the history in the form in which Victorian readers most commonly encountered it, handsomely bound for the library shelf it was always destined to occupy.
Very good across all five volumes. Some rubbing to bindings at edges and creases. Volume V shows the strongest wear, with some small separation at the front hinge towards the spine head. Contents generally very good, with foxing throughout, stronger at the preliminaries — consistent with the paper stock of the period. A bookplate to the front pastedown of Volume I records a presentation to the Reverend George Hurst from members of the St. Domingo Street Mutual Improvement Society, Oldham, dated 17 July 1956, "as a memento of their respect and esteem" — a quietly affecting record of the place this work held in the culture of self-improvement for which it was, in many ways, written.
This book is currently not on display in store.
If you would like more information or to arrange a viewing, please contact: [email protected]
Catalogue Number: HH000394
Description
MACAULAY, Lord Thomas Babington. The History of England from the Accession of James the Second. London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1855–1861. 5 vols.
8vo. Half brown morocco over textured cloth boards, spines with 5 raised bands, gilt in compartments. Marbled edges. Vol. I: eleventh edition, 1856; Vol. II: eleventh edition, 1856; Vol. III: first edition, 1855; Vol. IV: first edition, 1855; Vol. V: first edition, 1861.
These works cover the seventeen years from the accession of James II in 1685 through to the death of William III in 1702 — the Glorious Revolution, the Bill of Rights, the transformation of England's constitutional settlement — narrated with the confidence of a man who believed, not without reason, that he was writing the vindication of everything England had become. Macaulay died in December 1859 with the fifth volume unfinished; it was completed and seen through the press by his devoted sister, Lady Trevelyan, whose editorial stewardship of her brother's legacy was itself an act of considerable scholarly care.
This set — with the eleventh editions of Volumes I and II and the first editions of Volumes III, IV, and V — represents the history in the form in which Victorian readers most commonly encountered it, handsomely bound for the library shelf it was always destined to occupy.
Very good across all five volumes. Some rubbing to bindings at edges and creases. Volume V shows the strongest wear, with some small separation at the front hinge towards the spine head. Contents generally very good, with foxing throughout, stronger at the preliminaries — consistent with the paper stock of the period. A bookplate to the front pastedown of Volume I records a presentation to the Reverend George Hurst from members of the St. Domingo Street Mutual Improvement Society, Oldham, dated 17 July 1956, "as a memento of their respect and esteem" — a quietly affecting record of the place this work held in the culture of self-improvement for which it was, in many ways, written.
This book is currently not on display in store.
If you would like more information or to arrange a viewing, please contact: [email protected]
Catalogue Number: HH000394
