Author: CUMBERLAND (Richard):
Title: Henry; In Four Volumes. The Third Edition.
Description: London: Printed for Charles Dilly, 1798, 4 volumes. 12mo, 173 x 92 mms., pp. [vliii], 316; m[iv], 328; v [vi blank], 311 [312 blank]; [vi blank], 304, with frontispieces engraved by Heath, Sparrow, or Saunders after Edward Francis Burney (1760–1848; Fanny Burney's cousin) in each volume, and, remarkably, extra-illustrated with seven pen and ink watercolours, executed in the same style as the frontispieces; contemporary calf, spines richly gilt, black leather labels; tops and bases of spines slightly chipped, some wear to joints with the front joint to volume 1 being slightly vulnerable, corners worn, but for the most part a very good set. The coloured images seem to me not dissimilar to the style of Thomas Stothard, but it seems more likely that they derive from drawings or paintings by Burney. The playwright and novelist Richard Cumberland (1732–1811) was the author of the very popular novel, Arundel, first published in 1789 and frequently reprinted. Henry followed in 1795, with at least five other editions, as well as translations into Frecher, Dutch, and German. It was reviewed in both The Critical Review and The Monthly Review. The Critical Review asserted that Cumberland had taken Fielding as his model,l imitating him in several scenes of low life; but, "upon the whole, it would be unjust not to allow that this novel is enriched with humour, variety, and character, though in m any parts tedious...." Thomas Holcroft reviewed the work in The Monthly Review: "While perusing his work, we have frequently both laughed and shed tears...and as we cannot afford time to point out all its defects, we have still less the means of noting all its merits...." Henry was a very popular novel of the 1790s, two editions of which appeared in 1795. This third printing added four frontispieces, engraved after Gurney, Interesting to speculate, therefore, on the origins of the seven charming original watercolour illustrations that accompany this copy, and probably did from a very early date in its binding. In fact one might assume that these were intended for the original publication of 1795 but never used, probably for reasons of economy, but their presence makes this set an extremely attractive proposition, and even if they can hardly be designated 'fine art' they are lively and spirited in the 18th Century manner of English book illustration. Raven, James, Antonia Forster, Peter Garside, Rainer Schöwerling, The English Novel, 1770-1829: A Bibliographical Survey of Prose Fiction Published in the British Isles (OUP 2000). 1795:17

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