Critical and Historical Essays Contributed to the Edinburgh Review

London : Longmans, Green and Co., 1882. Leather. Good. 7" by 4.5". None. A set of Thomas Babington Macaulay's essays. Some of the topics included are Frederic the Great, Gladstone on Church and State, and Lord Francis Bacon. New edition. Macaulay's political writings are famous for their ringing prose and for their confident, sometimes dogmatic, emphasis on a progressive model of British history, according to which the country threw off superstition, autocracy and confusion to create a balanced constitution and a forward-looking culture combined with freedom of belief and expression. This model of human progress has been called the Whig interpretation of history. This philosophy appears most clearly in the essays Macaulay wrote for the Edinburgh Review. Bookplate of Caroli Sarolea to front pastedown of volume one, with prize bookplate to front pastedown. Binder's ink stamp of Helfe Brothers to verso of front free-endpaper. Complete in four volumes. In green calf armorial prize bindings. Externally sound, though a little rubbed and with some marks to the boards. Spotting and tidemarks to volume I. Some wear to spines. Six joints of eight starting.Internally, generally firmly bound although strained in places. Ink sigantures to verso of front free-endpaper. Pages are bright and clean. Good