Beschreibung:

GIBBON, EDWARD. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. London: for W. Strahan and T. Cadell (vols. I-III), for A. Strahan and T. Cadell (vols. IV-VI), 1776-1788. 6 vols., 4to, 280 x 225mm.) (11 x 8 7/8in.), contemporary tree calf gilt, spines with red and green morocco labels, upper joint of vol. I repaired, partial slight cracking of joints to vols. II, V and VI, spine extremities chipped, corners worn, lacks half-titles, minor repair to blank portion of errata leaves in vols. I and II, lacks final blank leaves in vols. I, II and VI, O2 and Zz2 in vol. III torn and repaired, occasional browning or spotting. FIRST EDITION, Rothschild's second state of vol. I with leaves X4, a4 and b2 uncancelled and with the errata corrected as far as p. 183 in text and from p. iii to p. xv in the Notes (but not on p. ii of Notes as per Rothschild); in vol. III p. 177 is correctly numbered and on p. 179, line 18, "Honorious" is spelled thus; engraved portrait frontispiece by J. Hall after Sir Joshua Reynolds 3 engraved maps, of which 2 folding. Grolier English 58; PMM 222; Rothschild 942-944. "This masterpiece of historical penetration and literary style has remained one of the ageless historical works....Whereas other eighteenth-century writers in this field, such as Voltaire...are still quoted with respect, the Decline and Fall is the only historical narrative prior to Macaulay which continues to be reprinted and actually read"-- Printing and the Mind of Man . Provenance : The Most Honourable the Marquess of Downshire (sale, Sotheby's London, 19 July 1990, lot 49, sold with a copy of Edwards Examination 1778, not present here). (6)