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GIBBON, Edward (1737-1794). The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. London: For W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1776-1788.
6 volumes, 4o (268 x 217 mm). Half-titles in each volume. Vol. I: engraved frontispiece portrait of Gibbon after Joshua Reynolds, dated 1 February 1780, 12-page expanded Contents bound in after the abridged Contents, errata leaf at end, X4, Rrr2, Sss4, a4 and b2 are not cancels. (Scattered light foxing.) Vol. II: errata leaf at end; full-sheet folding map of the Eastern Roman Empire by Thomas Kitchen inserted before page 1, dated 1 January 1781 (a few thin spots), half-sheet folding map of Constantinople and environs inserted after page 22 (scattered light foxing), G1 and Ll1 are cancels. (Half-title rubbed in blank foremargin, Ooo2 with short tear crossing text.) Vol. III: errata leaf at end, full-sheet map of the Western Roman Empire by Thomas Kitchen inserted before page 1 (Scattered light foxing) p.177 correctly numbered and p.179, line 18 reading "Honorious." Vol. IV: H3 and L2 are cancels. (Scattered light foxing.) Vol. V: (Scattered light foxing). Vol. VI: errata for volumes IV-VI on 4Uv. (Scattered light foxing.) (Throughout a few minor marginal repairs.) Contemporary half calf (most spines rebacked or with joints repaired, some covers detached, some light wear to edges, vol. VI with chipping and splitting to spine).
FIRST EDITION of all volumes. Decline and Fall ranks as a "masterpiece of historical penetration and literary style" and despite the numerous later works devoted to this voluminous subject remains "the only historical narrative prior to Macaulay which continues to be reprinted and actually read" (PMM). Gibbon was fortunate in the choice of his publisher, William Strahan, the friend of Dr. Johnson, Benjamin Franklin and David Hume, who with Cadell also published Adam Smith and James Macpherson. During the publication of the first edition, Strahan predicted the popularity of the work and doubled the printing size from 500 to 1,000 copies, entailing the resetting of sheets B-Dd (pages 1-208) and a-b (i-xvi) in volume I. Strahan's instincts proved correct, with the entire first thousand copies selling out in a fortnight. "Gibbon's style is probably the most exclusive in literature. By its very nature it bars out a great multitude of human energies" (Lytton Strachey, Portraits in Miniature). Grolier English 58; Norton 20, 23, 29; PMM 222; Rothschild 942. (6)
6 volumes, 4
FIRST EDITION of all volumes. Decline and Fall ranks as a "masterpiece of historical penetration and literary style" and despite the numerous later works devoted to this voluminous subject remains "the only historical narrative prior to Macaulay which continues to be reprinted and actually read" (PMM). Gibbon was fortunate in the choice of his publisher, William Strahan, the friend of Dr. Johnson, Benjamin Franklin and David Hume, who with Cadell also published Adam Smith and James Macpherson. During the publication of the first edition, Strahan predicted the popularity of the work and doubled the printing size from 500 to 1,000 copies, entailing the resetting of sheets B-Dd (pages 1-208) and a-b (i-xvi) in volume I. Strahan's instincts proved correct, with the entire first thousand copies selling out in a fortnight. "Gibbon's style is probably the most exclusive in literature. By its very nature it bars out a great multitude of human energies" (Lytton Strachey, Portraits in Miniature). Grolier English 58; Norton 20, 23, 29; PMM 222; Rothschild 942. (6)