An Autobiography
Reader, I married him.
Jane Eyre An Autobiography
Smith, Elder & Co., 1847.
First edition. Three volumes. Bound in late nineteenth century half navy morocco over blue cloth boards. Top edges gilt. All half titles present. A near fine set, well margined and internally fresh with just occasional, marginal foxing. A handsome and well preserved set.
Charlotte Bronte's first novel and keystone of nineteenth century literature. Having collaborated with her sisters in an unsuccessful self published volume of poetry, Charlotte embarked on writing a novel, The Professor. This was declined by all the publishers it was sent to and, stung by the fact that both her sisters had found publishers for their novels, she set about writing a new novel on an entirely different emotional scale. The work was swiftly completed and immediately found a willing publisher in Smith, Elder. The book was published in an edition of just 500 copies, whilst both her sisters' works languished in production.
The novel was greeted with almost instant acclaim. Critics seized upon its imaginative power and the reality and freshness of its style. William Thackeray, to whom Charlotte dedicated the second edition, "lost a whole day in reading it." To this day it remains one of the most popular and widely read English novels.
PROVENANCE: John Ketterlinus (1852-1932, Philadelphia printer, bookplate to front pastedown of vol. I); John Neylan (1885-1960, bookplate to front endpaper of vol. I).
Stock ID: 46158
£75,000.00
