The Spectator

A complete set of the popular short-lived periodical by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele, complete with a frontispiece to each volume. Complete in eight volumes.Illustrated with a frontispiece to each volume.'The Spectator" was a daily publication than ran from 1711 to 1712, created by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele. It was widely read despite its modest circulation, including being read by James Madison when he was a teenager.Richard Steele was an Irish politician and playwright. He was a member of the Kit-Kat Club, an English Whig club with strong literary and political associations. His first successful play was 'The Funeral', which was performed at Drury Lane.Joseph Addison was an essayist, politician and playwright. He also held form the Kit-Kat Club, which renewed his friendship with Richard Steele, whom he at met at Charterhouse School. His most famous work was 'Cato, a Tragedy', a successful play about Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis.Addison and Steele founded several publications during their friendship, including the literary and social journal "Tatler", which published from 1709 to 1711. Steele also founded the short lived "The Guardian". None of these publications are related to the modern day ones which share their same names. In a half calf binding with marbled paper to the boards, neatly rebacked with the original boards and spines restored. Externally, rubbed, mostly to the boards. Minor bumping to the extremities. Discolouration to the extremities. Crack to the rear joint of Volume I. Backstrips are worn with some loss and surface cracks, repaired with the rebacking. Cracks to the joints of Volume II, III, V, VI, and VII. Front hinge of Volume III is strained. Front hinge of Volume V is starting but firm. Stain to the bottom edge of Volume VII, affecting the text. Internally, firmly bound, Volume VII is weak and textblock may fail, even with careful handling. Pages are lightly age-toned and generally clean with scattered spots, a little heavier to the first and last few pages. Good.…