first edition
1803 · London
by Chatterton, Thomas
London: Printed by Biggs and Cottle, for T.N. Longman and O. Rees, 1803. First collected edition. Shallow chip to the margin of D3, text not affected; inner hinges reinforced with cloth tape; covers moderately rubbed with a touch of wear to edges; a very handsome set.. Three vols., 8vos, frontispieces; [16] clx, 361, 536, 528pp with engraved illustrations; contemporary diced calf, recased and rebacked, marbled edges. This set was bound by the Comte de Caumont, an emigre French nobleman who had a bindery in London between 1803 and 1814 when he was able to return to France. His small pink label (with the 1 Frith St. address) is affixed to the verso of the front free endpaper. It has been tastefully rebacked in what appears to be twentieth-century streaked brown morocco with gilt stamping and a blindstamped pattern of horizontal zigzags. This edition, highly important to the British Romantics, includes a preface by Robert Southey, whose name appears in the list of subscribers at the front of Vol. 1. Also on the list: W. Wordsworth, Esq. (Inventory #: 205838)