Gibbon, Edward

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. London: Printed for W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1776 - 1788

6 volumes, 4to (10 5/8 x 8 3/4 in.; 270 x 222 mm). Half-titles in all vols, engraved portrait frontispiece in second volume, 3 engraved folding maps (in vols 2-3); offset from portrait on title, some leaves lightly browned, some spotting on portrait and several quires in the first three vols, edge-staining from binding on endleaves. Contemporary speckled calf, spine gilt in compartments, gilt-stamped red leather title label and black leather volume label on spine; rebacked with original spines laid down, edges rubbed.

Sidney Herbert Williams (bookplate)

Grolier/ English 58; Norton 20, 23-29; PMM 222; Rothschild 942

offset from portrait on title, some leaves lightly browned, some spotting on portrait and several quires in the first three vols. Contemporary speckled calf, spine gilt in compartments, gilt-stamped red leather title label and black leather volume label on spine; rebacked with original spines laid down, edges rubbed.
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First edition, one of 500 copies in the second state, of Gibbon's "masterpiece of historical penetration and literary style" (PMM). The errata are corrected as far as page 183, X4 is not signed and is not a cancel.