A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY THROUGH FRANCE AND ITALY. BY MR. YORICK

London: Printed for T. Becket and P.A. De Hondt, 1768. Two volumes. xx,203;[4],208pp. Octavo. Contemporary calf, marbled endsheets, spines gilt extra, red and green gilt lettering pieces. Engraved coat of arms on D3v of second volume. Upper joint of first volume, and crown of lower joint of second volume cracked (but cords still sound), spines a bit rubbed, with very shallow losses at crowns of spines, two small smudges to half-title in first volume, a bit of light foxing to terminal leaves, small flaw in extreme fore-edge of binder's blank in second volume, otherwise a very good, crisp set. First edition, the special printing on large "imperial" paper. This copy measures 18.3 x 11.3cm. The subscriber's list in the first volume marks those subscribers opting for this format with an asterisk. This set exhibits variant reading 2 in the first volume, and variant 1 in the second. Sterne's account of his journey through Calais, Rouen, Paris and nearly to Lyons, taken for the sake of his health. "...The flawless miniature artistry of its vignettes are hardly to be paralleled in either English or French prose of the century" - Louis Bredvold. A separately printed advert leaf promising the completion of the work by the next winter was inserted in copies; it was, as often, not bound into this copy. ROTHSCHILD 1971. GROLIER ENGLISH HUNDRED 54. (Inventory #: WRCLIT46470)