Days With Sir Roger De Coverley

First edition of the Large Paper copy, third overall, in a handsome Sangorski and Sutcliffe binding of blue half morocco over blue cloth, top edge of the pages gilt, gilt panelled spine with animal motifs of horse, dog and fox to spine, raised bands, spine slightly discoloured. Imperial 8vo (10.5 x 7 ins); pp 158; with 160 illustrations, two headpieces, a tailpiece, a vignette, illustrated half-title. Some surface stains to boards, otherwise a clean and bright copy. Reprinted from "The Spectator". This somewhat ridiculous account of a month spent in the country as a guest of Sir Roger first appeared as a series in Spectator. It is a humorous construct of how London intellectuals view the archetypal English gentleman in the reign of Queen Anne. Sir Roger exemplified the values of the country squire and is mercilessly pastiched as a loveable, somewhat absurd character, perhaps the forerunner of the harmless, Tory voting, 'Hooray Henry'. The work was first published in 1886.