The Cabinet History of England

London: Charles Knight and Co., 1845-1847. First edition. Leather. Good Only. 6" by 4". Not Stated. The complete twenty-six volume set of Macfarlane's comprehensive work on the history of England, uniformly bound in thirteen volumes. The first editions of these twenty-six volumes in thirteen books in half calf bindings with marbled boards. All twenty-six volumes are illustrated with an engraved title page. The date of Queen Victoria's death and the start of King Edward VII's reign is inscribed to the last page of Volume XIII. Charles Macfarlane (1799–1858) was a Scottish writer, well-known for his historical and travel works as well as for his novels. Macfarlane's most substantial work was the Civil and Military History of England. The is the abridgment of that work, with a continuation bringing it up to date, first published from 1845 to 1847. The various books in this set cover, consecutively: the British and Roman Period, B.C. 55 to A.D. 449; the period from the arrival of the Saxons to the arrival of the Normans, A.D. 449-1066; then from 1064-1216, to 1270-1340, and finally 1413-1847. In half calf bindings. Externally sound, though rubbed to the spines and extremities, with light shelf wear to the boards. Front boards to Volume I and XIII are detached but present. Cracking to the rear joints of Volume I, II, and XIII, causing the backstrip to lift slightly to Volume I. Cracking to both joints of Volume III. Cracking to the front joints of Volume IV, V and VI, causing the backstrip to lift slightly to Volume VI. Horizontal crack to the spine of Volume VIII, with a small loss to the leather. Loss to the leather to the front board of Volume VI. Loss to the head of the backstrip to Volume XI and XII. Small loss to the marbled paper to the front board of Volume XII. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean. Good Only