(New York: John Wurtele Lovell, 1880).

KNIGHT'S NARRATIVE OF ENGLISH HISTORY FROM THE COMING OF THE ROMANS TO THE VICTORIAN ERA. An advocate of affordable learning, Knight intended these for broad middle-class readership, rather than serious academics. Drawing upon already existing scholarly sources, Knight organized the work chronologically and combined the history with political narrative and social and cultural commentary. The work had wide circulation and remains a landmark of popular historical publishing. Item #34852

8 volumes bound as 4, a complete set of all issued volumes. The First American edition. Illustrated with numerous engraved plates throughout the volumes, these are by various artists, though several are marked "LaPlante". 8vo, in very handsome contemporary three-quarter tan calf over marbled boards, the spines finely and lavishly gilt tooled in compartments between gilt rolled bands, two compartments with red and black morocco labels gilt ruled and lettered, marbled endpapers and page edges. A very well preserved set, the text solid and very clean, no foxing whatsoever, the hinges all strong and firm, the bindings very attractive in spite of some light rubbing to the tan calf, one volume with a bit of wear to the crown of the spine.