The Spectator. Volume the first (- eighth).

8 vol., 12mo: [2]-324-[12], [2]-336-[12], [2]-314-[10], [2]-303-[9], [2]-301-[11], [2]-305-[19], [2]-333-[15], [2]-300-[12] pp. (paper age-toned, occ. soiling).

Contemp. polished calf (sl. rubbed, minor def.), gilt spines with red labels. Good set.

The Spectator, by Joseph Addison, Richard Steele and others, was one of the 1st British periodicals, originally publ. daily in 1711 and 1712. Appealing to the growing numbers of middle class traders and shop keepers in London, Addison estimated it to have been read by a 10th of the city's population, primarily in coffee shops. The content was innovative and made the gentlemanly culture of letters accessible to a wide audience for the 1st time. The magazine became a huge success, with essays commenting on the sublime, the social, and the political. It became a major venue for the spread of Enlightenment ideas, and was one of the 1st publications to appeal directly to a female readership. Each vol. with an extensive subject index. Engr. fronts by C. Grignion, C. Mosley, and J. Müller after F. Hayman. Engr. titles.
ref. ESTC T97952.
Prov. Preud'homme (armorial bookpl.). - Bookseller's ticket.