Mr. Facey Romford's Hounds

London: Bradbury, Agnew, & Co., 1876 Book. Fine. Hardcover. 1st Edition. Octavo (8¾x5¾ inches). Pp. vi, [2], 391. Illustrated with hand-colored steel-engraved title vignette and 24 hand-colored steel engraved plates by John Leech and H. K. Brown. Newer three-quarter crimson morocco, marbled sides, gilt-lettered spine. Spine slightly faded, list of illustrations leaf with light damage to bottom blank border. Robert Smith Surtees (1805-1864) was an English editor, novelist and sporting writer, widely known as R. S. Surtees. After 1838, Surtees devoted himself to hunting and shooting novels with comic personalities. His novels are engaging and vigorous, and abound with sharp social observation. Most of Surtees's later novels, were illustrated by John Leech. They included 'Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour' (1853); 'Ask Mamma' (1858); 'Plain or Ringlets?' (1860) and 'Mr. Facey Romford's Hounds', originally issued posthumously in 12 parts in 1865. In this novel Facey is a trickster who takes advantage of society's greed and gullibility. This brisk novel is the sequel to 'Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour'..