AUSTEN, Jane (1775-1817). Pride and Prejudice. London: T. Egerton, 1813.

Second edition of Jane Austen’s most famous and beloved novel, uncut. After an early rejection by the publisher Cadell, the first edition of Pride and Prejudice was finally bought by Egerton in 1812 and published in late January 1813. The second edition is thought to have been published in October that same year. Chapman notes that there is "no external evidence that the author had any part in the second edition; and it contains no changes that can be attributed to revision." It is a complete resetting of the first, however, from which it differs by occasional variants in the setting of the page and spelling or punctuation. Pride and Prejudice was written between October 1796 and August 1797 when Austen was not yet twenty-one, the same age, in fact, as her fictional heroine Elizabeth Bennet. Gilson A4.

Three volumes, 12mo (185 x 105mm). All sheets untrimmed, as issued; half-titles (vol. 2 title and half-title from another copy of vol. 1). (Some minor spotting, a couple small losses at corners.) Modern half morocco gilt over marbled boards, red spine labels, by P Hembra.

Volume 2 title and half-title have been supplied from another copy of volume 1.