Description

“PERHAPS THERE EXISTS NO OTHER WORK? IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, WHICH HAS BEEN MORE GENERALLY READ AND MORE UNIVERSALLY  ADMIRED”: EXTRAORDINARILY SCARCE FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE OF ALL THREE PARTS TO DEFOE’S ROBINSON CRUSOE, 1719-20

DEFOE, Daniel. Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner. London: W. Taylor, 1719-20. Three volumes. Octavo, early 20-century full green morocco, raised bands, elaborately gilt-decorated spines, all edges gilt.

First edition, first issue of all three parts of Defoe’s classic tale of adventure, with engraved portrait frontispiece of Crusoe by Clark & Pine in Volume I; folding world map in Volume II, folding plate showing Crusoe’s island in Volume III, handsomely bound by Riviere & Son. An exceptional set.

“After 20 years of enormously prolific pamphleteering? Defoe suddenly disclosed a genius for devising a tale of adventure. The special form of adventure that he chose, and even the name of his hero, have been adopted by countless imitators? This influence is not yet dissipated, for much of science fiction is basically Crusoe’s island changed to a planet? Two further volumes, one of Further Adventures and one of Serious Reflections were published in 1719 and 1720 respectively” (PMM 180). “Robinson Crusoe is the most popular, delightful and extraordinary of all Defoe’s works? Dr. Johnson observed, ‘Nobody ever laid it down without wishing it were longer” (Lowndes, 613). Sir Walter Scott wrote, “Perhaps there exists no other work? in the English language, which has been more generally read and more universally admired” (Allibone, 489). Volume I is first edition, first issue, with catchword “apply” on recto of leaf A“Pilate” and “Portugnese” on page 343 (Hutchins, 64-6, Moore 412, Lovett, 3); Volume II is first edition, first issue, first variant with verso of leaf A blank, “FARTHFR” on recto, leaf B and page 292 correctly numbered (Hutchins, 112, Moore 417); Volume III is first edition, first issue with first “The” catchword on page 270 (Hutchins, 128, Moore 436). Volume I bound without publisher’s ads; Volume II with 11 pages of ads at rear; Volume III with two pages of ads at rear. See Grolier 100 41.

Interiors quite clean and fresh: Volume I with two closed tears along gutter of front free endpaper & flyleaf, expert restoration to margins of some leaves; Volume II with expert restoration to folding map, light spotting to several leaves; Volume III with lightest scattered foxing. A beautiful, very nearly fine set of Defoe’s masterpiece, beautifully bound.