The Works of Soame Jenyns, Esq., Soame Jenyns & Charles Nalson Cole — 1st Ed

Publication: London, T. Cadell, 1790

Formatting: 4 vols., 8vo.

Condition Report: Good. The set is presented in a contemporary half-calf binding over marbled boards, which remains structurally sound and attractive on the shelf despite some discernible exterior wear. The bindings are generally firm with tight joints, though there is expected rubbing and scuffing to the calf on the spines and extremities, alongside a degree of edge-wear and minor surface abrasion to the marbled paper. The gilt-ruled spines retain their black morocco title labels, which remain largely intact but show typical age-related drying. Internally, the text blocks are relatively square. There is some distinct yellow staining along the inner hinges from old binding glue (most notably in volume three), alongside scattered foxing and spotting which is generally confined to the preliminary leaves and title pages. The majority of the text remains clean, crisp, and highly legible throughout.

Catalogue Note: This 1790 publication represents the first collected edition of the works of Soame Jenyns, meticulously compiled and edited by Charles Nalson Cole shortly after the author's death. The set is complete in four volumes and features a finely engraved oval portrait frontispiece in the first volume, executed after an original painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Adding a layer of historical interest, the volumes carry notable provenance, featuring the armorial bookplate of Thomas Knowlys of Park Hall affixed to the front pastedowns, accompanied by the previous ownership signatures of Henry Knowlys. Complete, matching sets of this 1790 Cadell edition in contemporary bindings remain distinctly uncommon on the open market, as many extant copies have been broken up or heavily rebound over the centuries.

A prominent figure in 18th-century intellectual circles, Soame Jenyns was an English Member of Parliament and a celebrated writer known for his elegant prose, satirical wit, and often controversial philosophical views. This comprehensive four-volume collection gathers his most significant poetry, essays, and treatises, including his well-known A Free Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Evil and his widely read View of the Internal Evidence of the Christian Religion. Edited by his close friend Charles Nalson Cole, the collection also incorporates several pieces that had never before been published, offering an invaluable and extensive window into Georgian literary and moral thought.