The Virginians A Tale Of The Last Century

London: Bradbury & Evans, 1859. First edition, First Issue. Orig. printed and illustrated yellow wrappers. Near fine in fine red cloth chemise in matiching red quarter morocco slipcase worn at edges. Thackeray, William Makepeace. 22 x 14 cm. illustrated with forty-eight etched plates by the author; the last work he illustrated for himself. Numerous woodcut vignettes in text, and in the original 24 parts. All plates generally clean and fresh. With advertisements as noted by VAN DUZER 232. "Grace Aguilar's Works" in No. 24 missing in practically all copies. With errata slip No.20 noting plates omitted in this issue to be included in the following one, and they were so published. The Virginians Advertiser present in all parts. No. 20 has both slips. With early issue points "actresses" for "ancesteresses," p. 207, and Chapters No.12, XLVII-XLVIII, not mislabeled XLVIII-XLIX. Interior contents clean and fresh, as are all of Thackeray's plates as represented here and depicted in the attached images in No. 1 issue. Part 1 and XVII lacks additional slip. Ad partially torn at head with small void in Part XX. Unlike Dickens, Thackeray had a happy time during his visit to America and saw the greatness of the country and its future promise. Thackeray's continuation of the family saga he began in The History of Henry Esmond (1852) (Baugh et al., 1358-59). In this work, the author traces the fortunes of Henry Esmond's grandsons as the Revolutionary War divides them.