[HUNTER, Rev. Henry (1741-1802)]. The History of London, and its Environs: Containing an Account of the Origin of the City; its State Under the Romans, Saxons, Danes, and Normans; its Rise and Progress to its Present State of Commercial Greatness: Including an Historical Record of Every Important and Interesting Public Event, from the Landing of Julius Caesar to the Present Period; also a Description of its Antiquities, Public Buildings and Establishments; of the Revolution in its Government; and of the Calamities to Which its Inhabitants Have Been Subject by Fire, Famine, Pestilence, &c. Likewise an Account of all the Towns, Villages and Country Within Twenty-Five Miles of London. Embellished with Maps, Plans, and Views. London: Printed for John Stockdale, Piccadilly. By S. Gosnell, Little Queen-Street, Holborn., 1811.
First edition in book form. Hardcover. Complete in two volumes. Leather-bound. Thick quartos (300 x 240 mm.). Vol. I: [2], [xiii]-xxxii, [v]-x, 924 pages, 13 unnumbered leaves of plates: illustrations, maps, plans. Vol. II: [2], [iii]-viii, [2], 811, [7 index], 22 unnumbered leaves of plates: illustrations, maps, plans. [Note: the plates are not in exact conformity with the printed lists]. English text. Handsomely bound in contemporary half calf, smooth spines with gilt banding and morocco lettering-pieces, boards decorated in blind with repeat floral patterns, red speckled page edges. Initial and terminal blanks present. Volume I includes a List of Subscribers in double column and a List of Plates; View of Temple Bar p.3, View of Somerset House p. 232, View of St. James's Palace p. 498, View of the Pest Houses p. 502, Plan of the City of London before the Fire [with key] p. 504, Plan of the City of London after the Fire [with key] p. 505, View of the Monument p. 512 [i.e. p. 514], View of the New Church - Strand p. 592, View of Buckingham House p. 593, View of Westminster Bridge p. 667, View of Blackfriars Bridge p. 702, Plan of the Wet Docks p. 858, Plan of London [in four folding sections] p. 881. Volume II with List of Plates to include: [folding] Map[s] of Middlesex p. 1, Surrey p. 8, Kent p. 12, Essex p. 20, Hertfordshire p. 26 and the Thames [coloured and in five folding sections] p. 30, View of the Queen's Walk p. 41, View of London Bridge p.44, View of the Tower p. 46, Map of the Canals p. 56, View of Chelsea Hospital p. 67, View of Hyde Park Corner p. 70, View of the Conduit at Bayswater p. 72, View of London from Highgate p. 86, View of Friern House p. 87, View of London from Camberwell p. 122, View of Mount Arrarat p. 129, View of Guilford p. 150, Greenwich Hospital p. 158, View of London from Greenwich Park p. 160, View of Fairlop Oak p. 427, View of Claybury Hall p. 435. Condition: Complete with 35 engraved plates and maps - and as such very rare. Binding tight and secure with the hinges intact. Cover very clean and tidy, some rubbing to points. Textblock showing some light age related browning and spotting, the maps and plans and excellent, some plates with slight staining, occasional offsetting - overall very good. Without previous ownership markings. Scarce thus.
Note: First book-form edition and a complete copy. "In 1796 Hunter began the publication in parts of ... 'History of London and its environs, ' which he did not live to complete. The publisher John Stockdale, with the assistance of other hacks, issued the discreditable compilation as a complete work ... in 1811"--Dict. nat. biog (OCLC).
