“IN THEIR DEATH THEY WERE NOT DIVIDED”: FIRST STATE OF THE MILL ON THE FLOSS

ELIOT, George. The Mill on the Floss. Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1860. Three volumes. Octavo, original orange-brown cloth, uncut; housed in a custom slipcase. $4900.

First edition, first printing, first state, of this most widely read of Eliot’s works, in the original publisher's cloth.

Eliot's largely autobiographical The Mill on the Floss was written immediately after Adam Bede and published in 1860. "The portrayal of childhood, of rural life, and the subsidiary characters… delighted most critics… It remains one of the most widely read of her works" (Drabble, 651). All half titles present. First state, without advertisements in Volume I; a 16-page publisher's catalogue is present at the end of Volume III, as sometimes occurs with first-state copies. In Baker & Ross binding A, with "Bound by Burn" binder ticket on rear pastedown of Volume I. Baker & Ross A5.1. Sadleir 816. Wolff 2060.

Scattered foxing to text; original cloth generally fresh with bright gilt and minimal wear, slight toning to spines, expert repairs to a few inner hinges and joints. An extremely good copy in the original publisher's cloth.