“BOWYER’S 1806 EDITION IS A SUMPTUOUS ONE, FINELY PRINTED AND EXPENSIVELY ILLUSTRATED”: HUME’S HISTORY OF ENGLAND, MAGNIFICENT TEN-VOLUME ATLAS FOLIO SET, BEAUTIFULLY BOUND

HUME, David. The History of England. London: by T. Bensley for Robert Bowyer, 1806. Five volumes in ten. Large thick atlas folio (14 by 19 inches), contemporary full brown polished calf rebacked with original elaborately gilt-decorated spines laid down, gilt-decorated borders, raised bands, marbled endpapers and edges.

Magnificent atlas folio “Bowyer” edition of Hume’s renowned history, originally sold only to subscribers, with 196 (of 197) lovely and finely engraved illustrations, in full contemporary polished calf gilt in ten massive volumes.

“This work has enjoyed the rank of a classic in historical literature from the day of its completion to the present time. In point of clearness, elegance, and simplicity of style it has never been surpassed” (Adams). First published between 1754 and 1761, Hume’s History of England was “the first significant study to embrace all of English history and the first broad historical survey in English that properly rates as a work of literature… Hume was the first historian to consider such things as manners, commerce, finance, and arts and sciences at length and the first to give them in some cases greater importance than kings and battles” (Day). The Bowyer edition of Hume “is one of the most splendid works ever published… It promises ever to hold a prominent place in the front rank of English literature” (Allibone, 914-16). Robert Bowyer had announced his intention to publish a sumptuous edition of Hume’s History as early as January 1792. In his prospectus for this “finely printed and lavishly illustrated set,” Bowyer estimates a cost of 60 guineas for the five folio volumes, with additional title pages for those who preferred it bound in ten volumes (as here). His edition contains Hume’s own short autobiography (which originally appeared in the 1778 edition), and a letter from Adam Smith describing his close friend’s last days. “Bowyer’s 1806 edition is a sumptuous one, finely printed and expensively illustrated; it was sold only to subscribers” (Jessop, 31). Copies have been found with varying numbers of plates: this set has 196. Brunet III:377 (“Magnifique édition”). Lowndes, 1139. Bookplates of John Joicey (Vols I, III-X); traces of bookplate removal (Vol. II).

Light scattered foxing. Vol II with repaired closed tear to front free endpaper and light dampstaining mildly affecting corners of a few plates.