THE HISTORY OF TOM JONES, A FOUNDLING. This item is unavailable.THE HISTORY OF TOM JONES, A FOUNDLING

6 volumes. First edition, the first issue with errata leaf in volume I and all the cancels listed in Rothschild (also with the cancels N12 in Vol. II and B1 in Vol. IV overlooked in the Rothschild collation). Small 8vo, handsomely bound in contemporary polished calf, the spine panels sometime replaced to match with raised bands gilt ruled, two compartments with red morocco labels gilt lettered, one compartment with date in gilt The six volumes now housed in a slipcase. lxii, errata, 214; [2], 324; [2], 370;[2], 312; [2], 294; [2], 304 pp. A handsome set, the textblocks well preserved with just a bit of expected age mellowing, the bindings handsome, one volume with some signatures springing, some expected minor rubbing at the joints and tips, one volume with a small chip. HANDSOME FIRST EDITION AND FIRST ISSUE OF A CORNERSTONE WORK IN ENGLISH LITERATURE. An attractive set of Fielding’s classic story. ‘Tom Jones’ is not only generally regarded as Fielding’s greatest work, but is one of the first and most influential English novels. Coleridge acknowledged it as having one of the three great plots of all literature. Although a great success, the book drew criticism from many, including Dr. Johnson, for the hero’s high-spirited and varied sexual escapades.…