“HIGH SPIRITS, ROUGH HORSE-PLAY AND A HEALTHY SENSE OF THE COMEDY OF LIFE”: FIELDING’S JOSEPH ANDREWS, ILLUSTRATED BY CRUIKSHANK, HANDSOMELY BOUND

(CRUIKSHANK George) FIELDING, Henry. The Adventures of Joseph Andrews. London: James Cochrane and J. Andrews, 1832. 12mo, early 20th-century full speckled calf, elaborately gilt-decorated spine, raised bands, brown and green morocco spine labels, all edges gilt. $750.

First Cruikshank-illustrated edition of Fielding’s bawdy and brilliant novel—“full of high spirits, rough horse-play and a healthy sense of the comedy of life” (Literary History of England, 956)— with four engraved plates by the celebrated caricaturist, handsomely bound by Bayntun.

"Beyond question the real founder of the English novel" (DNB), Fielding began Joseph Andrews (first published 1742) "as a parody on Richardson's Pamela… But the author's genius ran away with him, and soon the remarkable clergyman, Parson Adams, one of the great characters of fiction, stole the show… It is a brilliant tour de force" (Kunitz & Haycraft, 189). With four engraved plates after illustrations by Cruikshank. "Enthusiasts for his work now confidently describe him as 'the greatest of English illustrators" (Ray, 69). Without advertisements. Cohn 706.

Beautiful binding with light expert restoration.