1855 The Tour of Doctor Syntax, complete in three volumes. 80 color-engravings by Thomas Rowlandson.

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Complete in three volumes The Tour of Doctor Syntax by William Combe. This is the ninth edition, published in 1855, with eighty bright and humorous color engravings by Thomas Rowlandson. This is a nice copy, with the original bindings unmolested and notably clean pages; the only notable issue is that the hinges in v.3 are mostly cracked.

From 1809 to 1811 (Combe) wrote for Ackermann's The Poetical Magazine the serialized comic poem The Tour of Dr Syntax in Search of the Picturesque, descriptive and moralizing verse illustrated by artist Thomas Rowlandson's color plates. It satirised William Gilpin, who toured Britain to describe his theory of the Picturesque. It was collected in book form in 1812, and was followed by two similar Tours, "...in search of Consolation" (1819) and "...in search of a Wife," the first Mrs Syntax having died at the end of the first Tour. The second Tour was collected as an 1820 book, and the third tour as an 1821 book.

Physical Attributes -

Each volume measures approx. 25 x 16 x 2.5 cm. Cloth hardcover blind-stamped bindings with gilt decoration to the spines. Illustrated. Complete in three volumes. Ninth edition.

Condition -

See pictures. Mostly a quite clean set, with white pages and nice bindings. Volume three hinges cracked, text block almost loose. Top edges have a little dust. Spines are sunned. Some sunning spots to boards. V1 joint, at front, has a less than 1 cm wear hole. Corners are a little worn.

Some graphite bookseller notes on flyleaf. Page that faces the endpapers, in all volumes a little toned. There's a few very small fox spots on title page. An occasional fox spot throughout, but mostly quite white. More bookseller notes at v1 rear flyleaf and pastedown. Checkmarks in each volume next to the list of plates (complete).

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