Books

First editions of the complete set of Gibbon's magisterial history, one of only 500 possible complete sets with the first volume in the first state. "This masterpiece of historical penetration and literary style has remained one of the ageless historical works which maintain their hold upon the layman and continue to stimulate the scholar although they have been superseded in many, if not most, details by subsequent advances of research and changes in the climate of opinion. Gibbon brought a width of vision and a critical mastery of the available sources which have not been equalled to this day; and the result was clothed in an inimitable prose" (PMM). The initial print run for the first volume was 500 copies, but this was doubled after some sheets had been printed. This allowed the publisher to make corrections - the earlier uncorrected first-state sheets can be distinguished from the second state by the cancels x4 and a4, as here. Though copies with the corrected and the uncorrected states were issued simultaneously, the first state has always been preferred. Grolier English 58; Norton 20, 23 & 29; Printing and the Mind of Man 222; Rothschild 942. Six vols, quarto (274 x 211 mm). Contemporary calf, neatly rebacked preserving original spines with new red and green morocco labels; vols. II and III sometime supplied and recased into set to match. Engraved portrait frontispiece by Hall after Joshua Reynolds bound in vol. I; 2 maps in vol. II (one folding, the other trimmed and inserted as single sheet as often), folding map in vol. III. Neat later initials to title page of vol. I, a couple of instances of early underlining and sidelining to same. Bound without half-title in vol. I, additional contents for vol. I which was issued in vol. II, and terminal blank in vol. VI, otherwise collating complete. Extremities neatly restored. Occasional light foxing and browning (a little more pronounced in vols. II and III), vol. II leaf Y2 with 8 cm closed tear at foot into text without loss and leaf 3O3 with loss at upper outer corner not affecting text, light staining in vol. V. A very good set.

Published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788, this extensive work by Edward Gibbon provides a detailed history of the decline of the Roman Empire.