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AUSTEN, Jane (1775-1817). Pride and Prejudice: A Novel, London: Printed for T. Egerton, 1813. 3 volumes, 8° (without the half titles, occasional light spotting and staining, a few short marginal tears, a few leaves with small pieces torn away from edge). Contemporary brown textured cloth, spines gilt (piece torn away from lettering-piece to vol. II, the other 2 lettering-pieces detached and rather worn, extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance: Edward Watkin (armorial bookplate).
FIRST EDITION. According to Cassandra Austen, the first draft of Pride and Prejudice, a universal favourite, was written between October 1796 and August 1797 under the title of First Impressions. The author, then still living at Steventon, was at the same age as her heroine Elisabeth Bennet when she began writing. When Jane Austen's father, the Rev. George Austen, wrote on 1 November 1797 to Cadell, to ask if he would be interested in publishing a novel of comparable length to Evelina, the offer was firmly declined by return of post. A novel by Margaret Holford called First Impressions was published in London in 1800 by the Minerva Press, and this presumably led Jane Austen to change the title, the new version being adopted from Fanny Burney's Cecilia. The copyright was eventually sold to Egerton for £110 in 1812, and the novel was published late in January 1813 at 18 shillings in boards. Keynes has suggested 1500 copies as the size of the edition. It was sold off so rapidly that a second edition was printed in the same year, and a third four years later. Volume I was printed in Caslon Pica roman by Roworth, whose imprint appears on the half title verso and at the end of the text, volumes II-III by Sidney in Pica roman by Vincent Figgins. Gilson A3; Keynes p. 8; Sadleir I, 62b. (3)
FIRST EDITION. According to Cassandra Austen, the first draft of Pride and Prejudice, a universal favourite, was written between October 1796 and August 1797 under the title of First Impressions. The author, then still living at Steventon, was at the same age as her heroine Elisabeth Bennet when she began writing. When Jane Austen's father, the Rev. George Austen, wrote on 1 November 1797 to Cadell, to ask if he would be interested in publishing a novel of comparable length to Evelina, the offer was firmly declined by return of post. A novel by Margaret Holford called First Impressions was published in London in 1800 by the Minerva Press, and this presumably led Jane Austen to change the title, the new version being adopted from Fanny Burney's Cecilia. The copyright was eventually sold to Egerton for £110 in 1812, and the novel was published late in January 1813 at 18 shillings in boards. Keynes has suggested 1500 copies as the size of the edition. It was sold off so rapidly that a second edition was printed in the same year, and a third four years later. Volume I was printed in Caslon Pica roman by Roworth, whose imprint appears on the half title verso and at the end of the text, volumes II-III by Sidney in Pica roman by Vincent Figgins. Gilson A3; Keynes p. 8; Sadleir I, 62b. (3)
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Please note that one leaf (B12) in Vol. 1 is partially detached at the inner edge but the text is not affected.