“WHEN A MAN MARRIES AN HEIRESS FOR HER MONEY”: FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM OF TROLLOPE’S CAN YOU FORGIVE HER?

TROLLOPE, Anthony. Can You Forgive Her? London: Chapman and Hall, 1864-65. Two volumes. Octavo, contemporary three-quarter russet calf, black morocco spine labels, raised bands. $1600.

First edition in book form of the first novel in Trollope’s fascinating Palliser series, works he considered “the best productions of his literary life,” illustrated with 40 engraved plates, many by H.K. Browne (“Phiz”).

Anthony Trollope’s Can You Forgive Her?--the first of the six Palliser novels—brilliantly meshes parliamentary and marital politics, and is the first of his novels to reveal characters “through the eyes of others, and most successfully? Trollope considered the string of Pallisers, their relations and their friends, as the best productions of his literary life” (Hennessey, 252-9). “They have served me,” he once said of the Pallisers, “as safety valves to deliver my soul.” Serialized monthly from January 1864-August 1865. Volume I with 20 engraved plates by Hablot Knight Browne (”Phiz); Volume II with 20 engraved plates by Miss Taylor. Volume I with two plates out of order as in Sadleir (pp. 9 & 23); Volume II with “Great Jove” bound at page 9 as indicated in List of Illustrations (not frontispiece as in Sadleir). Without half titles. Sadleir 19. Volume I with a trace of bookplate removal to front pastedown.

Interiors generally fresh with light scattered foxing, slight edge-wear, rubbing to contemporary calf. A handsome copy in near-fine condition.