The Pilgrims Of The Rhine

London: Saunders and Otley, 1834. First edition. leather_bound. Orig. full scarlet morocco. Aeg. Near fine. 341 pages. 28 x 20 cm. Large paper copy with wide text margins, ordinary copies were approx. 23 x 15 cm. Twenty-seven engraved plates -- vignettes, portrait and views. Bulwer-Lytton reached the height of popularity with the publication of a novel, "Godolphin," 1833, which he followed with this work. He coined such phrases as "the great unwashed -- pursuit of the almighty dollar -- the pen is mightier than the sword." Lovely copy, text and plates very clean, a hint of offsetting to some plates; contemporary owner inscription, raised bands, spine panels richly gilt, gilt border panels frame an elaborate gilt floral pattern within, gilt inner dentelles, minor extremity rubbing.