Joseph Addison and Sir Richard Steele — Days with Sir Roger de Coverley

London , Macmillan, 1892. Cloth. An illustrated anthology of the Spectator's series on this archetypal English gentleman. An English squire of Queen Anne's reign, Sir Roger exemplified the values of an old country gentleman, and was portrayed as lovable but somewhat ridiculous ('rather beloved than esteemed') (Spectator no. 2), making his Tory politics seem harmless and silly. He was said to be the grandson of the man who invented the dance of the same name. The work was first published in 1886. This is the third edition. With scores of charming vignettes by Hugh Thomson, the celebrated pen and ink illustrator. This is one of the earliest works to feature his illustrations. Direct from the library of the late Hugh Selbourne MD (1906-1973) a noted book collector and diarist. In the original cloth. Externally very smart, with some light marking to the boards and fading to the spine. The lower quarter of the boards are also a little faded. With a shelf stamp to the front pastedown. The text block is untrimmed but the edges are clean. The front free endpaper is a little foxed. Internally, remarkably clean and bright throughout, and firmly bound. Near Fine . Ill.: Hugh Thomson. Near Fine .