Letters of Horace Walpole - Two Volumes by Yonge, C.D.(ed) - 1890

T. Fisher Unwin, 1890. 2 vols, burgundy cloth faded to brown (esp spine), scuffed edges to spine and covers, b/w portraits and illustrations including a rather nice portrait of Lady Mary Wortley-Montagu. Slight foxing but contents otherwise Good condition. Previous owner's signature front end paper. Edited by Charles Duke Young, these two volumes of selected letters are divided into the periods 1736-1764 and 1764-1795. Writer, publisher and Member of Parliament, Walpole was on intimate terms with the great literary and political figures of 18th century England (and later, France which he visited frequently). His correspondents included Thomas Gray, George Montagu, Horace Mann, Lady Aylesbury and Voltaire, and his subject matter ranged from court gossip and opinions about his literary contemporaries to politics and wars both at home at abroad (which include events such as the Battle of Culloden, John Wilkes' political shenannigans and the Boston Tea Party) and natural phenomenon such as the London earthquake and the eruption of Vesuvius. . Hard Cover. Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.