The English Spy: An Original Work, Characteristic, Satirical, And Humorous. Comprising Scenes And Sketches In Every Bank Of Society, Being Portraits Of The Illustrious, Eminent, Eccentric, and Notorious, Drawn From The Life By Bernard Blackmantle

London: Sherwood, Jones, 1826. First edition. leather_bound. Early 20th century full brick crushed morocco. Teg. Two vols. Fine. Cruikshank, Robert & Thomas Rowlandson. 412, 399 pages. 24 x 15 cm. 71 hand-colored aquatints with tissue guards, of which 67 are by Robert Cruikshank, 2 by Rowlandson and one each by T. Wageman and G.M. Brightly; full page woodcut [Five Principal Orders of Society], and 74 woodcuts in the text, of these 23 are by Rowlandson, the others by Cruikshank, Wageman and Huges. With first issue points -- plate at p.389 in Vol. I misdated 1284 and p.222 in Vol. 2 blank. CBEL Vol. 14, p. 225. " The English Spy, both in text and in (truncated) illustrations, is sometimes as coarse as ever was Smollet in word or Gillray in drawing, it contains many lively representations of life, high and low, gives much curious information about real people still recongisable under their fictitious names [including Charles Kemble, Macready, Grimaldi, Mme. Vestris, Mathews and Wallack, and also George IV and his mistress] , and preserves many tales of a past age." Further, CBEL notes this work was considered an offshoot of "Life in London," and that Westmacott "appears to have been a blackmailer; but was a spirited and amusing writer." Purportedly, Westmacott received a horsewhipping from Charles Kemble three years after this work was published. ABBEY LIFE 325. TOOLEY 504. Elegantly bound by W. Root & Son. raised bands, spine panels richly gilt, elaborate cover border panel gilt motifs frame inner four corner floral designs in gilt, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers. Exceptionally clean, bright set; plates and text, Vol. I covers rehinged. (Inventory #: 19852)