“AN INNOVATING MASTER OF THE HIGHEST ORIGINALITY”: FIRST EDITION OF FIELDING’S AMELIA

FIELDING, Henry. Amelia. London: Printed for A. Millar, 1752. Four volumes. Small octavo, early 20th-century full tan calf, raised bands, elaborately gilt-decorated spines, brown and russet morocco spine labels, all edges gilt. $3000.

First edition of Fielding’s final novel, his landmark work that introduced the novelistic tradition of “social protest and reform.” Handsomely bound by Riviere and Son.

Fielding's last novel, Amelia, shows the "mellowness, pathos, and insight" of a mature writer whose humor and "realistic frankness… shocked the 19th century but delighted his century and delights ours… Fielding stands at least shoulder to shoulder with the great Victorian novelists whose spiritual father he was" (Kunitz & Haycraft, 190). "An innovating master of the highest originality," Fielding's comic epics were "the first modern novels in English" (Drabble, 348). Samuel Johnson lavished unexpected praise on the novel, for though he earlier called the "author of Tom Jones 'a blockhead' and a barren rascal," he read Amelia through at one sitting and observed that this was a publishing event so anticipated that it was "perhaps the only book, which being printed off betimes one morning, a new edition was called for before night." Johnson's story about Amelia's publication and the novel's immediate popularity was not, however, entirely accurate. Yet the anecdote was so popular that it was "accepted by every student of the novel's publishing history until 1953, when, in a deft piece of bibliographical analysis, Professor Todd [in "Three Notes on Fielding"] set the record straight. Johnson's account… squares not at all with the printing history of Amelia" (Battestin, lvii, xlviii). For despite subsequent critical praise that views Amelia as a forerunner of realism and a work that "established the tradition… of the novel of social protest and reform," Johnson's high regard did not reflect the general response of the time (Battestin & Probyn, eds., Correspondence of Henry and Sarah Fielding, vi). "The audience at mid-century was ill prepared either for the kind of realism Fielding here attempted, or for the disturbing moral and social purpose it was calculated to serve… Even those who wished him well were puzzled, and a little embarrassed, that he could so willfully disregard the proprieties of polite literature" (Battestin, liv-lv). "Amelia was published on Thursday, 19 December 1751, a day later than originally expected—though, in accord with the usual printer's practice in the period for works not ready to be issued before November, the title-page carries the date of the ensuing year, 1752" (Battestin, xlvii). Due to the expected high demand for the novel, two printers were used: William Strahan for Volumes I & III, and an unknown printer for Volumes II and IV. Minor press variants exist, with no distinguishing characteristics noted and no priority established. Two impressions of the first edition were made, one in December 1751, the other in January 1752. Copies are reported to exist in two states with no precedence confirmed: i.e. that of an uncorrected inner forme backed by a corrected outer forme, or a corrected inner forme backed by an uncorrected outer forme. With advertisement of "The Universal-Register-Office" in Volume II. Battestin: Appendix VII, 583-586 & Appendix VIII. Cross III:321. Lowndes, 797. Rothschild 853. Owner signatures.

Interiors bright and clean. Front joint of Volume I repaired. A lovely set in near-fine condition.