The Works of William Harrison Ainsworth. [Guy Fawkes; Lancashire Witches; Tower of London; Star-Chamber; Old St. Paul’s; Flitch of Bacon; Miser’s Daughter; Ovingdean Grange; Crichton; Rookwood; Jack Sheppard; Auriol; Mervyn Clitheroe; Windsor Castle; The Spendthrift; Boscobel].

AINSWORTH, William Harrison.

Item Number: 138549

London: George Routledge and Sons, Limited, 1898.

The Author’s Copyright edition of the works of William Harrison Ainsworth. Octavo, 16 volumes bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards by Henry Sotheran & Co., gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, with illustrations by Halbot Knight Browne (Phiz) and Sir John Gilbert. In very good condition.

English historical novelist William Harrison Ainsworth was very popular in his lifetime and his novels sold in large numbers. His first success as a writer came with Rookwood in 1834, which features Dick Turpin as its leading character. A stream of 39 novels followed, the last of which appeared in 1881. His Lancashire novels, which cover altogether 400 years and include The Lancashire Witches (1848), Mervyn Clitheroe (1857), and The Leaguer of Lathom. Jack Sheppard, Guy Fawkes (1841), Old St Paul's (1841), Windsor Castle (1843), and The Lancashire Witches are regarded as his most successful novels.