{"product_id":"the-vicar-of-wakefield-a-tale-dr-oliver-goldsmith-1st-edition-thus","title":"The Vicar of Wakefield. A Tale., Dr. Oliver Goldsmith — 1st Edition Thus","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"5\" id=\"p-rc_8bb310ea47d9a447-294\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-670\"\u003ePublication:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-670 citation-end-670\"\u003e Hereford, Printed \u0026amp; Sold by D. Walker (and G. Sael, London), 1798.\u003csup class=\"superscript\" data-turn-source-index=\"1\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"6\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"6\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eFormatting:\u003c\/b\u003e 12mo, two volumes in one (continuous pagination), complete with half-title.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"7\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"7\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eCondition Report: \u003c\/b\u003eVery Good. This copy is housed in a handsome contemporary full tree calf binding, which remains remarkably vibrant with the marbled patterning largely unoxidised. The boards show only marginal rubbing to the extremities and slight softening to the corners, while the spine, decorated with elegant gilt tooling and a contrasting red leather title label, retains excellent shelf presence despite mild surface wear. The joints remain secure and the text block is tightly bound. Internally, the pages are generally crisp and well-margined, though there is localised spotting, most notably some characteristic offset browning and droplet staining to the title page and the frontispiece vignette. A well-preserved and highly attractive provincial survival.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"8\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"8\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eCatalogue Note: \u003c\/b\u003eThis provincial edition is highly sought after as the \"First Edition Thus,\" marking the first time the novel was embellished with the iconic woodcut engravings of Thomas Bewick. Bewick’s pioneering naturalistic style perfectly complements the enduring rural themes of the narrative, establishing this as a significant volume for collectors of early English book illustration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"9\"\u003eThe volume carries excellent provenance, bearing the handsome pictorial bookplates of James F. Wallace and John A. Irving on the front endpapers. The preliminary leaves also feature early, elegant ink ownership signatures of J.H. Sutherland and Thomas Head of Seaton. Copies of this masterpiece featuring Bewick’s woodcuts that survive in complete, authentic contemporary bindings are remarkably scarce on the open market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"10\"\u003eOliver Goldsmith's enduring 18th-century masterpiece follows the tribulations and eventual triumphs of Dr. Charles Primrose, a country cleric whose idyllic family life is upended by sudden financial ruin and the machinations of the villainous Squire Thornhill. Through abductions, imprisonment, and deception, Primrose's unyielding faith and unshakeable optimism serve as the moral anchor of the narrative. A masterful blend of pastoral romance, gentle satire, and moral fable, this tale remains a poignant exploration of virtue tested by adversity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Broadhursts Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54212504060243,"sku":"4263","price":185.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/1469\/6787\/files\/20260611_135958.jpg?v=1783326720","url":"https:\/\/broadhurstsbooks.com\/products\/the-vicar-of-wakefield-a-tale-dr-oliver-goldsmith-1st-edition-thus","provider":"Broadhursts Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}