The Monk,; A Romance. . .
London: Printed for J. Bell, 1796. Second Edition. Three vols., small 8vos, 232, 287, 315pp; early 19th century 3/4 morocco and marbled boards; t.e.g. Engraved portraits of Lewis in each volume. Bound in at the rear of Vol. 3 is a neat 6-page calligraphic manuscript of "The Old Hag in a Red Cloak." Light foxing to preliminaries, some internal smudges; hinges tender; armorial bookplates (Henry Sanderson, "Sans Dieu Rien") on each front pastedown; covers rubbed. Item #205741
A unique, embellished copy of the second edition of Lewis's classic of Gothic fiction. A collector of the next generation had this set bound with portrait engravings added (the one in Vol. 3 is dated 1834, allowing for a rough dating of the binding), as well as the six-page calligraphic manuscript in the rear of Vol. 3, "The Old Hag in a Red Cloak." This item is especially intriguing. A parody of Lewis's 1802 "Tales of Wonder," written in a lovely calligraphic hand, it is here ascribed to Joseph Jekyll. It was set into print and published later by George Watson-Taylor. It seems that other such manuscripts were circulated. A similar manuscript is in the collection of the Morgan Library, which notes that it was sent by an unnamed copyist to Jekyll, who then sent it on to Watson-Taylor, who arranged its publication. In his preface to the printed edition, Watson-Taylor writes that these parodic verses were written "long before the work on which they are founded was presented to the public, and were circulated with it, in manuscript, among the very few friends for whose amusement they were originally composed." Lewis was not yet twenty when this, his first novel, appeared -- at first anonymously, owing to its scandalous content. The novel's immediate success emboldened Lewis to put his name on this second edition published in the same year. While he went on to produce other novels and collections of verse, The Monk has remained the one work for which he is remembered. This copy is an interesting record of Lewis's reception.
Price: $2,500.00