Charles Dickens — The Battle of Life

London, Bradbury & Evans, 1846. First edition. Cloth. A first edition fourth state of one of Charles Dickens' lesser known 'Christmas Books', a popular festive work illustrated throughout. The first edition, fourth state of this work, with the vignette showing an angel holding a banner with no publisher's information.Illustrated with a frontispiece, a vignette title page, and in-text engravings.'The Battle of Life' is the fourth of Dickens' spirited 'Christmas Books', set in an English village that stands on the site of a historic battle.A romantic novel, this is the only Christmas book that doesn't have any supernatural or explicitly religious elements.Charles Dickens is one of the most popular authors of the Victorian age. His novels show the grimy side of poverty and prosperity in Victorian England, showing poor social conditions alongside repulsive characters.In the original publisher's cloth binding.Two pages of publisher's adverts to the rear.Half-title is present.Collated, complete. In the original publisher's cloth binding. Externally, smart. Light bumping to the head and tail of the spine and to the extremities. Very small chips to the head and tail of the spine, and to the rear joint. Minor rubbing to the cloth. Spine is a little faded. A few small marks to the boards. Front hinge is weak, rear hinge is starting but firm. Internally, generally firmly bound. Pages are lightly age-toned and clean, with the occasional scattered spot. Very Good . Ill.: Various. Very Good .