Memoirs of Samuel Pepys, Esq. F.R.S. Secretary to the Admiralty in the Reigns of Charles II and James II comprising His Diary from 1659 to 1669.
London: Henry Colburn, 1825. Hardcover. Engraved frontispiece, xlii, 498p, xlix; Frontispiece, 348p; 309p. Contemporary calf with richly gilt spines and marbled end papers. Bound by Zaehnsdorf with small stamp at the lower corner in both volumes on the inside verso of the front marbled end paper. Expertly re-backed. Includes seven engraved portraits, two pedigree tables, one plate with example of his handwriting, two page map and two views. From the Library of Sir Edward Henry Scott (1842-83) with armorial bookplate. The Edinburgh Review American Edition 1880 p116 describes how Lord Grenville at the request of his nephew Rev George Neville examined the six volumes written in fine script and recognized it as short-hand. Lord Grenville recommended that they find somebody who would take on the task to transcript. Lord Grenville also offered to provide his alphabet and arbitrary signs as well as transcribe the first 'three or four pages'. Rev Neville assigned the task to Mr Smith, then an undergraduate at St. Johns. The Review goes on explaining that it occupied Rev. John Smith (1799-1870) nearly three years and often twelve to fourteen hours a day. The transcript was eventually handed over by Rev. Neville to his older brother Lord Braybrooke who published selections from it in 1825. Grolier 'One Hundred Books Famous in English Literature' p151. Lowndes IV p1828. Kept in a protective case. Very small marginal tear on p39/40 in volume one and with a slight fold in the page. A fresh clean copy of very attractive set expertly re-backed. A nice production printed by S and R. Bentley. Very Good. Item #7477
Price: $2,300.00