"IT IS A TRUTH UNIVERSALLY ACKNOWLEDGED, THAT A SINGLE MAN IN POSSESSION OF A GOOD FORTUNE, MUST BE IN WANT OF A WIFE"

AUSTEN, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. London: Richard Bentley, 1833. 12mo, contemporary three-quarter tan calf, elaborately gilt-decorated spine, red morocco spine label, raised bands, marbled boards and page edges. $15,000.

Fourth edition of Austen's most popular novel and the author's favorite of all her works, the first to list Austen as the author by name and the first illustrated edition, with engraved frontispiece illustration and engraved vignette title page.

"Elizabeth's own energy and defiance of character respond to Rousseau's and the popular notion of the pliant, submissive female… None of her novels delighted Jane Austen more than Pride and Prejudice… She had given a rare example of fiction as a highly intelligent form… This remains her most popular and widely translated novel" (Honan, 313-20). "No English reissue of Austen's novels is known after 1818 until in 1832 Richard Bentley decided to include them in his series of Standard Novels… Bentley's reprinting of the novels, each complete in one volume, was presumably intended for the private buyer; there is evidence that some circulating libraries were still well supplied with copies of the original editions" (Gilson, 211). First published in 1813, with a second edition within the same year and a third in 1817. This is the fourth overall edition, and first illustrated edition with engraved frontispiece illustration and engraved vignette title page, both done by Greatbatch after Pickering. Without half title. Gilson D5.

Text generally quite clean, with occasional foxing; offsetting from frontispiece. Final leaf of text with expert repair along inner margin. Light wear to contemporary calf. A handsome copy.