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Gibbon, Edward: : The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire [...]

6 vols. 4to. (27.5 x 22 cms) All first editions; volume one first edition, first issue. pp. [xii], viii, [iv], 586, [ii], lxxxviii, [ii] errata (lacks final blank); [x], 640, [ii] errata; [x], 640, [ii] errata, 8 publisher’s ads; [ii], viii, [viii], 620; [iv], 684; [xii], 646, [lii] index and errata. Half title in volume one, portrait frontispiece engraved by John Hall after Sir Joshua Reynolds, three folding maps engraved by Thomas Kitchin, occasional foxing and light browning. Recent full calf, gilt, with contrasting morocco lettering pieces. Early shelf mark and illegible inscription (?L-dale) on title. NB: the detailed table of contents in volume one, signed *a4-*b2, was actually issued with volume two as was the frontispiece, but here they have been sensibly placed where most useful, as usual. The third volume concludes with the list of books published by Strahan and Cadell mentioned by Norton, which was not issued with all copies.

“Gibbon is one of those few writers who hold as high a place in the history of literature as in the roll of great historians.” Bury's judgement, opening his authoritative edition of the work, can hardly be bettered and few could disagree with his supporting comment that the, Decline and Fall

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