The British Essayists; With Prefaces, Historical and Biographical

London: J. Johnson; J. Nichols; R. Baldwin; et al, 1802 - 1803. Leather. Good. 6" by 4". Various. A thirty-nine volume collection of essays from prominent British Essayists. Incomplete, as lacking volumes VII, XVII, XXIX, XXXI, XXXVIII, and XLII, with thirty-nine volumes present here in this set. 'The British Essayists' is a collection of essays, articles, poems, and more, collected from a selection of affluent British periodicals. This set contains; Vols I-V, 'The Tatler', a literary and society journal founded by Richard Steele in 1709, which was only published for two years. Vols VI-XV, 'The Spectator' was a daily publication founded by Richard Steele and his friend Joseph Addison, which had contributions from writers Eustace Budgell and John Hughes. Vols XVI-XVIII, 'The Guardian', another newspaper founded by Richard Steele, which saw contributions from Joseph Addison, Alexander Pope, and Ambrose Philips. Vols XIX-XXII, 'Rambler', founded by Samuel Johnson, a periodical comprised of a series of short papers. Though only published for two years, it saw a total of two-hundred and eight articles. Vols XXIII-XXV, 'Adventurer', a bi-weekly newspaper that was started after the conclusion of 'The Rambler', which had contributions from the likes of John Hawkesworth and Samuel Johnson. Vols XXVI-XXIX, 'The World', founded by Edwin Moore, and published every Thursday from 1753 to 1756. Vols XXX-XXXII, 'The Connoisseur', a weekly newspaper founded by George Colman and Bonnell Thornton, intended as the 'plebeian' counterpart to 'The World'. Volumes XXXIII-XXXIV, 'The Idler', a series of one-hundred and three essays by Samuel Johnson, published in the weekly 'Universal Chronicle'. XXXV-XXXVII, 'The Mirror', a literary periodical founded by Thomas Bellamy, with contributions by Eliza Mathews, Horatio Smith, and Leigh Hunt. XXXVIII-XL, 'Lounger', a periodical published in Edinburgh. XLI-XLIV, 'The Observer', a weekly newspaper founded in 1791, a Sunday newspaper which is still in publication today. XLV contains a comprehensive index. Complied by Alexander Chalmers. Chalmers was a Scottish writer, giving up a career as a doctor to enter into journalism. He became the editor of the 'Morning Herald', and edited editions of works by William Shakespeare, Samuel Johnson, Henry Fielding, Edward Gibbon, and more. He is possibly best known for his 'General Biographical Dictionary'. Volumes I, II, XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV, XXVI, XXVII, XVIII, XXX, XXXIII, XXXV, and XLI each have a frontispiece. In the original full calf binding. Externally, generally smart. Cracks to the front joints of Volume I, II, resulting in the front hinge to be starting but firm. Small cracks to the head and tail of the joints of Vols II, VIII, XII, XIX, XXII, XXIII, XXIV. Small cracks to the head of the joints of Vols III, XLIII. Small cracks to the head and tail of the front joint to Vols XI, XVIII, XLIV. Small cracks to the head and tail of the rear joint of Vols XIII, XXV, XXVI, XXVII. Small crack to the head of the front joint of Vols V, XXV, XXVI, XXXVII. Small cracks to the tail of the joints of Volume XVI. Small crack to the head of the rear joint of Volume XLI. Small cracks to the head and tail of the rear joint, and to the tail of the front joint of Volume VI. Light rubbing to the joints, to the extremities, and to the spine, being generally heavier to the joints. Minor marking to the boards and to the spines. A little heavier marking to the boards of Volumes XVI, XXII, XXIII. Minor marking to the boards of Volumes II, XV, XXVI, XXVII , XXXIII, XXXVI, XLIV, with a heavier mark to the front board. Minor marking to the boards of Volumes XIII and XX, being heavier to the rear board. Minor marking to the boards of Volume XIV, being heavier to the front board and to the spine. A little loss to the head of the front board of Volume XL. Tail of the spine of Volumes I and XLIV is lifting a little. Head of the spine of Volume X is lifting, with some loss. Head of the spine of volume XXI is lifting a little. A little loss to the spine of Volume XXXVI. A little loss to the head of the rear joint of Volume XXXIII. A little loss to the tail of the spine of Volumes II and XXXII. A very little loss to the bottom edge of the front board of Volume V. A little loss to the head of the rear board and to the spine of Volume XXIII. A little loss to the head and tail of the spine of Volumes XVI, XXXIX, XL A little loss to the extremities of Volume XLIII. Mark showing the number 4 to the front board of Volume VI. A little loss to the fore edge of the rear board of Volume VIII. Some loss to the bottom and fore edge of the rear board of Volume XX. A little loss to the rear board of Volumes XXXII, XXXIV close to the joint. Rear board of Volume XX may detach with further handling. Small surface cracks to the spines. Minor bumping to the extremities. Front hinge starting but firm of Vols III, X, XI, XII, XIV, XVIII, XX, XLV. Front hinge starting but firm close to the textblock of Volume IX. Front hinge has been tightly bound of Vol IV. Crack to the head of the rear hinge of Volume XII, due to the crack to the rear joint. Mark to the rear pastedown of Volume XI. A little worming to the front pastedown of Volume XIX. Internally, firmly bound. Pages bright and generally clean with only the odd spot. Worming to the first few pages, not affecting text, of Vols II, XVIII, XXVII, XXX, XXXVI. Worming to the last few pages, not affecting text Volume XXXVI. A little worming to the rear pastedown of Volume III. A little worming to the rear pastedown and rear endpaper Vols VI, XLV. Worming to the last few pages of Volume XXV, affecting text. Worming through the textblock, not affecting text, of Vol XIII. Mark to the verso of the front endpaper of Volume I. A little offsetting to the title page due to the frontispiece of Vols I, II, VI. A little tidemarking to the frontispiece of Vol XXVi, XXVII, XXXIII. Good