The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

London: Printed for W. Strahan; and T. Cadell, 1788-1789. [Late Antiquity] COMPLETE QUARTO EDITIONS. First three volumes 'New Edition', final three volumes are First Editions. Complete in six volumes. Quarto (29 x 23 x 31cm), pp.[4] xx; 704; pp.[14] 640 [2]; pp.[14] 640 [2]; pp.[6] xvi; 620 [2]; pp.[14] 684 [2]; pp.[16] 646 [54]. With a copper engraved portrait of the author and a folding map to volume I, as well as two maps to volume II. Half titles to volumes II to VI. General index and errata to volume VI. Re-backed in the twentieth century in tan calf, with raised bands, gilt titles and decoration, and original full diced calf boards with gilt ruling. Marbled endpapers. Armorial bookplates of Lambton Castle library, and a separate typographic bookplate of J. Roberts, to the front pastedown of each volume, with additional blue ink note of provenance to Roberts book plate in volume I. Spotting to frontispiece and occasionally throughout. Overall crisp and clean internally. Small tears to the usual places on the two folding maps; better than usual. Quite heavy wear to original boards, with some repairs to corners. Some wear also to spines. Leather colour poorly matched, but attractive if looking at the spines only. Very good. Published sequentially in six volumes between 1776 and 1788, Gibbon's 'Decline and Fall' is universally acknowledged as an historiographical and literary giant of the English language. It has been read by historians of Rome and Byzantium ever since publication, though Gibbon's pessimistic attitude is currently unfashionable amongst scholars of Late Antiquity. Nevertheless, the breadth of his coverage and the depth of his knowledge remains unrivalled.