The Vicar of Wakefield; A Tale, by Doctor Goldsmith
London: R. Ackermann, 1823. Thomas Rowlandson. Second Edition. Tall 8vo. 9 1/8 x 6 7/8 inches (228 x 174 mm); 8 + 254 pp.; with 24 hand-colored plates by Thomas Rowlandson, including a frontispiece. Brow calf half binding with black fillets on spine in compartments, raised bands, gilt title on red calf label, marbled boards; all edges stained red; previous owner's tag pasted inside front cover; some rubbing at spine tips and corners, spine somewhat sunned. The plates are crisp and brightly colored, offset on some of the facing pages. Light scattered foxing on preliminary pages, none affecting the plates.
[Tooley 436; Grolier 40].
Rowlandson's plates provide an evocative, lively depiction of rural life in this novel by Irish writer Oliver Goldsmith (1728–1774), written between 1761 and 1762 and first published in 1766. It was one of the most popular and widely read novels among Victorians. In his important work on Rowlandson, Edward Wolf defines him as "one of the eminent literary critics of the eighteenth century", the "greatest illustrator of eighteenth century literature," whose work is "representative of the triumph of the middle class in the cultural life of the nation." (Wolf, Edward C. J. Rowlandson and his Illustration of Eighteenth Century English Literature. Copenhagen: Einar Munksgaard, 1945; pp. 76 ff). Rowlandson's attention to details is outstanding, and it is not the principal characters in the stories that are caricatured, but rather "the country crowds, the animals (always a delightful note in his caricatures, especially the dogs), the small details provide the humour." (p. 99).
Condition: Near fine.
Item number: 1078
Price: $1,600.00
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