The Adventurer. Volumes One - Three.

London: Silvester Doig, 1793. Cloth. Very Good. 7" by 4". Various. A late eighteenth century edition of Hawkesworth's 'The Adventurer', three volumes in calf bindings. Three Volumes of Four. "In 1749 Hawkesworth joined Johnson's literary group the Ivy Lane Club, where he was valued as an "instructive and entertaining companion" on account of his eclectic knowledge and "good share of wit" (Hawkins, 252). Encouraged by fellow members, he became editor and principal writer for a new journal, The Adventurer (7 November 1752–9 March 1754), successor to Johnson's Rambler. As he explained retrospectively, his aim was to provide moral guidance for the young, but by indirect means... Of about seventy papers written by Hawkesworth himself, the majority were in narrative form: stories of middle-class English life, or oriental tales, a genre in which he was particularly adept; his formula, blending moral sentiment with exotic trappings, magic, and melodrama, proved a popular one" -ODNB. In full calf binding with gilt lettering. Externally, sound. There is wear to the extremities, including rubbing with edge wear and slight loss to the spine leather. The spine labels are missing. The boards are cracked or held by the cords only, and could possibly detach in the post even after careful packing. The rear board of volume two is missing. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright with the occasional foxing prominent to the first and last few pages. Very Good