THE WORKS OF LAURENCE STERNE. Complete in Eight Volumes. Containing, I. Tristram Shandy, and the Political Romance. II. Sentimental Journey, with the Continuation. III. The Koran. IV. Letters. V. Sermons. With an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author.

Early collected edition of Sterne's complete works. Eight volumes. Full contemporary calf, ruled and with titles in gilt on red morocco labels, and volume numbers in gilt on decorated circular black morocco labels to the spine. Outer board edges decorated in blind. Frontispiece illustration in the first four volumes, by William Hogarth in volumes I and II, Michael Angelo Rooker in volume III, and Henry Bunbury in volume IV. One further illustration (a coat of arms) on p.109 of volume IV. A very good, unsophisticated set, the bindings square and firm, with some rubbing, scuffing and toning to the extremities. The contents, with a short closed tear to the front blank in volume I, and the ownership inscription of Thomas Walker, Irvine in black ink on the front pastedown of the same volume, are otherwise clean throughout. An attractive set.

The complete works of Laurence Sterne in handsome contemporary calf. Includes the iconic humorous novel 'The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman', (first published in nine volumes 1759-1767), and his unfinished novel 'A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy' (1768), of which only two of the planned four volumes were published before Sterne's death in the same year. The famous 'black pages' are placed on pp. 66-67 in volume I. Provenance: Thomas Walker of Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland (1759 - 1833).