The Life and Adventures of Oliver Goldsmith; A Biography in Four Books

London: Bradbury & Evans and Chapman & Hall, 1848. First edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 8vo. [7], viii-xvii, [4], 2-704, [2] pp. Full contemporary red sheep made to look like goat with gilt decorations and fleur de lis on the boards, spine in six compartments with further gilt decorations; all edges gilt. Yellow endpapers and pastedowns. With an illustrated half-title page, a vignette on the title page, and several in-text illustrations. The designs were supplied by a variety of artists, including Leech, R.J. Hamerton, Maclise, Stanfield, and others. Oxford DNB, James A. Davies, "Forster, John (1812-1876)". This is one of Forster's best-known books. John Forster was a friend and pseudo-literary agent to several influential authors in the nineteenth century: most importantly, he was close with Charles Dickens. It is said that Forster influenced parts of Dickens' writings, and he helped secure copyright protections for Dickens' works. Forster negotiated with Dickens' publishers on the author's pay and other terms of sale. An attractively bound copy of this biography of the witty Irish author Oliver Goldsmith. Goldsmith led a turbulent and varied life, rising from humble beginnings and then pursuing various professions before succedding as an author. All of these misadventures and successes are recorded in Forster's biography. Minor wear to the corners and joints, a modern bookplate on the front pastedown and a small note on the free front endpaper ("This is a first edition").