Vivian Grey; Coningsby (2 volumes, Young England Edition)

Two volumes from R Brimley Johnson’s ‘Young England’ edition of four of Disraeli’s novels. Vivian Grey (Volume I) xlii, 872pp. Illustrated by Byam Shaw (frontispiece and one further full page illustration). Blue cloth boards with gilt lettering and motif to spine (boards a little rubbed at extremities, hint of toning to endpaper, else internally neat, clean, bright and tight). Coningsby (Volume II) xliv, 592pp. Illustrated by Byam Shaw (frontispiece and one further full page illustration). In a matching binding (boards a tad rubbed at edges, mild toning on endpapers, else internally neat, clean, bright and tight. Both volumes present facsimile reproductions of the first editions of Disraeli novels (1826 and 1844 respectively). The Young England edition, compromising of four of Disraeli’s novels (these two and Sybil and Tancred) was intended to present the Young England Movement, the judgements and ideals f the Young Tory party, as conceived by its leading proponent in the enthusiasm of his youth. The historical and political significance of the four novels justifies at once their isolation from Disraeli’s other works and their publication as a complete series. Coningsby, Sybil and Tancred were actually contemplated as a sequence by Disraeli; Vivian Grey foreshadows what they expound. An important issue of Disraeli’s work.