Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady (Volume IV), Samuel Richardson

£35.00

Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady (Volume IV), Samuel Richardson

Name: Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady (Volume IV), Samuel Richardson
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6140
Price: 35.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady (Volume IV), Samuel Richardson — 3rd Edition

Publication: London, Printed for S. Richardson, 1750

Formatting: 12mo.

Condition Report: Good. The volume is bound in contemporary full brown calf, which exhibits notable signs of historical handling and shelf wear, particularly with scuffing across the boards and rubbing to the extremities. The spine, featuring raised bands and a gilt-stamped volume number, has suffered loss to the head and tail, alongside cracking and tenderness down the front hinge, though the board remains firmly attached. The corners are bumped and somewhat rounded. Internally, the text block remains sound, with the pages showing typical age-toning, mild localised foxing, and expected offsetting, while the gilt tooling to the board edges remains partially visible despite historical oxidation and handling wear.

Catalogue Note: This is the fourth volume of the 1750 third edition of Samuel Richardson’s seminal epistolary novel, notably printed for the author himself. The third edition was the first to be expanded from the original seven volumes into eight, incorporating a new preface and previously omitted passages.

The front pastedown boasts an impressive 18th-century armorial bookplate belonging to The Right Honourable Constantine Phipps, Lord Mulgrave, Baron of New-Ross in the Kingdom of Ireland (1722–1775), complete with unicorn supporters and the motto Virtute Quies. Affixed below this is a secondary, later bookplate belonging to Archibald Duncan, featuring a maritime crest and the motto Disce Pati.

While complete, matched sets of early editions of this landmark work are scarce and highly sought after by collectors, isolated odd volumes appear with some regularity on the open market, appealing primarily as gap-fillers or as accessible examples of period bindings with notable provenance.

Samuel Richardson's monumental epistolary novel follows the tragic, intensely psychological tale of Clarissa Harlowe, a virtuous and beautiful young heiress whose life is torn apart by the oppressive demands of her ambitious family and the predatory machinations of the aristocratic rake Robert Lovelace. Considered one of the longest novels in the English language and a masterpiece of 18th-century literature, it offers a profound, granular exploration of morality, virtue, class conflict, and the psychological complexities of the human condition.

Book Condition: Good

Book Authors: Samuel Richardson

Book Publisher: S. Richardson

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Classic Fiction

Book edition: Third Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages:

Book Publication Year: 1750

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Leather

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.