Essays: with Essays: Second Series

Duodecimo, 8vo. A beautiful mixed 1st Edition set of one of the defining works of the 19th century, and the seminal work of American Transcendentalism. Essays is an 1852 Early printing while Essays: Second Series is an 1844 1st Edition, both copies in original publisher cloth. These two volumes contain some of the most prescient thought of the era, including his iconic essays 'Self Reliance', 'Friendship', 'Experience', 'Nature', and 'The Poet'. Essays - vi, 3-333pp. Bound in dark brown publisher's cloth. Square tight binding. Mild edge wear, mainly at spine ends and corners. Clean interior, save for some contemporary notation on the front end paper, which is clipped diagonally across its midsection. Light scattered foxing. Essays: Second Series - [6], 313pp, 2 ads. Binding C, with the usual mixture of 1st and 2nd Printing sheets, 18 of the noted Myerson differences being on 1st Printing sheets and five on 2nd Printing sheets. Green cloth, much aged to a rich golden brown. Tight binding. Rubbing and mild edge wear, mainly at corners and spine ends. Spine and outer edges faded somewhat. Slight lean to spine. Clean interior, save for a contemporary date on the front end paper, which is clipped at the upper fore edge corner. Interior foxed throughout. Overall and extremely handsome set of one of the most important works of the 19th century.…