The French Revolution (in 2 vols.)

London: Chapman and Hall, 1910. First Thus. Large paper copy, limited to 150 sets, signed by the artist, this being 83. Two quarto volumes (11 x 7 1/8 in; 282 x 181 mm). Original quarter vellum over natural linen boards. Front cover and spine decoratively stamped and lettered in gilt. Top edge gilt, others uncut. Collating xii, [2], 418; xi, [1, blank], 484, with thirty-three black and white plates and 124 black and white text illustrations. A very Fine set in the original pale blue dust jackets, printed in red.

"Of the three great political upheavals which have altered the face of the world - the American, French and Russian Revolutions - only the French Revolution has stimulated literary masterpieces which, in turn, have made their impact, direct and indirect, upon millions of readers... They are Carlyle's book and ... Michelet's... Carlyle wrote his French Revolution as a secular 'tract for the times' and as a warning for his compatriots of the frightful consequences of materialism, utilitarianism, and democracy... The book at once captured the English-speaking world, and has, outside France, moulded the popular conception of the French Revolution down to the present day" (PMM).

Edmund Joseph Sullivan (1869-1933) was a British book illustrator who worked in a style which merged the British tradition of illustration from the 1860s with aspects of Art Nouveau. He was only 20 years old when he began contributing to various magazines including the Daily Chronicle, The Daily Graphic, The Pall Mall Gazette and Punch magazine. He soon graduated to the more prestigious role of book illustrator. Sullivan's style is comparable to that of Aubrey Beardsley, but is more romantic, without Beardley's acerbic attitude.

PMM 304 (for the true first edition).