£800
FIRST EDITION, 4 vols. bound in 2, 8vo, pp. [ii], vii, [i], 253, [1], [ii], ii, 247, [1]; [ii], ii, 242, [iv], 79, [3], 99-211, [1]. Nineteenth-century half pebbled roan, marbled boards, spines divided by triple blind rules and lettered in gilt direct, edges speckled red. Some scattered spotting. Just a little rubbed. Armorial Bibliotheca Lindesiana bookplates to pastedowns.
The only fiction work of engraver and antiquary Joseph Strutt (1749-1802) and most notably the first historical fiction penned by Sir Walter Scott, who as editor completed the manuscript left unfinished by Strutt upon the older man's death, as well as adding 2 poems to the 4th volume. Scott had gained some fame as a poet, with his Marmion published in March that year about to go into a third edition, and was in demand as an editor, but it was the composition of the concluding chapters of this work which had a great influence on Scott's subsequent career as a novelist. Writing in 1829 Scott described the editing and completing of Strutt's novel as 'a step in my advance towards romantic composition,' and while it certainly demonstrated his ability, its biggest influence was perhaps inadvertent - the poor sales and 'indifferent reception' of this work (it was reissued with cancel title-pages twice) led Scott to believe 'that a romance, founded on a Highland Story and more modern events [i.e. Waverley] would have a better chance of popularity than a tale of chivalry.'
This copy comes from the extensive and celebrated Bibliotheca Lindesiana collection of the Earls of Crawford and Balcarres.
