MELVILLE, HERMAN. The Whale. London: Richard Bentley 1851. 3 vols., 8vo, forest-green straight-grained morocco gilt, q.e., by Brentano, spines faded, very slight wear at spine ends of vols. 1 & 2, outer joints a trifle rubbed, open-faced cloth case, FIRST EDITION of Moby Dick, preceding the American edition by a month and showing numerous differences in the text from the American; with the half-title in vol. 1 (not required in vols. 2 & 3). APPARENTLY CHARLES READE'S COPY (the author of The Cloister and the Hearth, etc.) with his signature ("Charles Reade") on the cream-colored recto of a front free endpaper preserved from the original binding (and bound in before the half-title in vol. 1 of this copy). Sadleir 1685; Bal 13663; Grolier/American 60. BAL notes that The Whale was set from New York sheets, with Melville's alterations, and that the American edition (Moby Dick), which contains some thirty-five passages deleted from The Whale, was set from Melville's original manuscript. Rare.