The Vicar of Wakefield : a Tale ; illustrated by George Thomas.

viii, 133 p. ; binding by Burn & Co. ; all edges gilt ; gold, ornate decorative tooling on covers ; binding tight ; water splotched front 10% of cover board ; numerous illustrations by George Housman Thomas (1824-1868), who was well known for his sketches in The Illustrated London News. By order of Queen Victoria, he painted the "Queen Giving the Medals to the Crimean Heroes", which was exhibited at the Academy. A memorial exhibition was given after his death, "Collection of Engravings from Drawings on Wood", in London in 1869. ; Form the preface: "There are an hundred faults in this Thing, and an hundred things might be said to prove them beauties. But it is needless. A book may be amusing with numerous errors, or it may be very dull without a single absurdity. The hero of this piece unites in himself the three greatest characters upon earth; he is a priest,( an husbandman, and the father of a family. He is drawn' as ready to teach, and ready to obey; as simple in affluence, and majestic in adversity. In this age of opulence and refinement, whom can such a character please? Such as are fond of high life, will turn with disdain from the simplicity of his country fire-side. Such as mistake ribaldry for humour, will find no wit in his harmless conversation; and such as have been taught to deride religion, will laugh at one whose chief stores of comfort are drawn from futurity."--Preface ; beautiful example of mid-Victorian binding ; G.…