Descrizione

2 vols., 8vo., with a wood-engraved portrait frontispiece and 16 fine wood-engraved plates (5 folding), some light and inoffensive age-staining, small neat signature on front free endpapers; attractively bound in late eighteenth century calf, backs with five raised bands, second and fourth compartments with (respectively) red and green leather labels lettered, numbered and ruled in gilt, all other compartments ruled in gilt, covers mildly age-worn (a larger scuff on each upper board), joints lightly rubbed else an unusually well-preserved, firm copy. With the fine nineteenth century engraved armorial bookplate of John Birney on front paste-downs (one bookplate defaced). With the full index in each volume (14pp and 18pp respectively), and 8pp list of subscribers, and separate single leaf of additional subscribers (often missing) at end of first volume. The first edition with Grey's extensive notes and splendid plates engraved by Mynde after Hogarth. The frontispiece is engraved by Vertue after Soest. The present copy is almost certainly an Irish pirated version of Bentham's Cambridge edition of the same year. The list of subscribers includes several Irish booksellers who presumably resold the Cambridge edition. A clean copy with particularly sharp impressions of the plates. See NCBEL II, p.437