THE WORKS OF WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY

Thackeray William Makepeace

Published by London Smith, Elder & Co. 1869,1886

About this Item

24 volumes. First Edition Thus, a copy with fine provenance, coming from the collection of Francis Weld Peabody with his bookplate. Illustrated throughout with full-page engravings and engravings within the text. A profusion of illustrations by Thackeray himself. Tall 8vo, handsomely bound by Riviere and Son in three-quarter red morocco over cloth covered boards, the spines fully gilt with raised bands gilt stopped, the compartments of the spine with elaborate floral tooling incorporating vines, leaves and flowers, two compartments lettered in gilt, marbled endleaves, top edges gilt. A handsome and well preserved set, some minor rubbing to the tips and extremities of some volumes, but still a handsome, tight, clean and well preserved set in beautiful bindings. A HANDSOME SET IN RIVIERE BINDINGS OF THE COLLECTED WORKS OF THACKERAY. Anthony Trollope wrote glowingly of one of Thackeray's best books--"I regard [Henry Esmond] as the greatest work that Thackeray did.I.rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont. .Forethought is the elbow-grease which a novelist--requieres.To think of a story is much harder work than to write it.[T]o think it over as you lie in bed, or walk about, or sit cosily over your fire, to turn ita all in your thoughts and make the things fit,--that requires elbow grease of the mind.The richness of the author's mind the beauty of his language, his imagination and perception of character are all there.Esmond is a whole from beginning to end, with its tale well told, its purppose developed, its moral brought home." And of Thackeray's great novel, VANITY FAIR, first published in 1848, there is no denying that it is an important work of 19th century literature. Thackeray used the novel s Napoleonic era and it s setting within a worldly society to mirror the society of his own with great success. Though having been well published, largely in Punch, this was Thackeray s first novel of significance. It cemented his position within the canon of 19th century writers and still remains his most famous and popular nove. It is the first of the novels and writings presented in this fine set of the writer's work. Concerning the provenance, Dr. Francis Weld Peabody was the son of Rev. Francis Greenwood Peabody who was a professor of theology at Harvard, a social reformer, and as Plummer Professor essentially the "preacher of Harvard" (Peter Gomes was among the others who filled this position). In 1886 he became Plummer Professor of Christian Morals, with charge of the college chapel, filling the position which Dr. Andrew P. Peabody had held up to 1881. In this office he remained until January, 1913, when he became professor emeritus. He also was Acting Dean of the Divinity School on two occasions during the absence of Dean Everett, and was Dean from 1901 to 1905. In all these fields of work, as a preacher, teacher, author, administrator, he was a master, and most of all in the art of contentful and beneficent living. Seller Inventory # 32467

Bibliographic Details

Title: THE WORKS OF WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY

Publisher: London Smith, Elder & Co. 1869,1886

Binding: Hardcover

Edition: 1st Edition