LAMB, Charles. The Essays of Elia (In fine vellum)

London: Chapman & Hall, Ltd, 1900. pp. [x], 292. With engraved frontispiece portrait of Lamb. Royal 8vo. Handsomely bound in full vellum, covers framed with a gilt leaf-and-dot roll, spine richly gilt with wavy line panels and central floral ornaments, lettered in gilt. Top edge gilt, others untrimmed. A fine, clean copy.

First published in 1823, Charles Lamb’s Essays of Elia is one of the great landmarks of English prose, a collection of personal, whimsical, and nostalgic essays that have remained perennially popular. They include Christ’s Hospital Five and Thirty Years Ago, New Year’s Eve, Dream-Children, The Praise of Chimney-Sweepers, and A Dissertation upon Roast Pig, among others.

This Chapman & Hall edition, handsomely printed by Ballantyne, preserves the charm and elegance of Lamb’s style. The present example is particularly notable for its luxurious vellum binding with gilt decoration, executed in a restrained yet refined style, making it suitable as a gift or prize volume.

[L3 9C]