Victor Hugo — La Legende Des Siecles

Paris, Michele Levy Freres - Hetzel; Calmann Levy; Ancienne Maison Michel Levy Freres, 1859-1877 . First edition. Leather. The first editions of the first two volumes of Victor Hugo's 'La Legende des Siecles', uniformly bound with the fifth edition of the two volume second series of this work. In the original French.Present here are the first editions of volumes I and II of this work, which make up the first series. Also present is the fifth edition of the second series, complete in two volumes, and published in the same year as the first editions of this series.A third series was published later, in 1883, and is not present here.'La Légende des siècles' was a series of poems by Hugo, conceived of as a sprawling depiction of the history of evolution and humanity.It follows human history from ancient times to a utopian future, illustrating the moral and spiritual progress of civilisation. Hugo explores themes of justice, tyranny and heroism, often drawing on biblical, mythological, and historical figures. With the bookplate of L. R. Rawlings to a front blank of each volume. In a quarter morocco binding, with marbled paper covered boards. Externally, very smart. Light rubbing to back strip tails. Tail of front joint of second series volume I starting, with board firmly held. Bookplates to a front blank of each volume. Pages of first series clean and bright. Pages of second series volumes age toned due to paper type, with instances of foxing to page perimeters, and significant pencil notations and annotations throughout. Very Good . Ill.: None. Very Good .