Fielding’s Last Novel

Amelia.

London: Printed for A. Millar, 1752 [i.e. 1751].

Price: $600.00


About the item

First Edition, second state, with the misprint “the at Folly” corrected to “at the Folly” in volume 3. 4 vols. 12mo. Fielding’s Last Novel. Contemporary polished calf gilt, spine in six compartments with red morocco lettering-piece gilt, red-sprinkled edges, in morocco-edged cloth sliding case. Joints cracking, upper cover of volume 4 detached. Rothschild 853.

Item #9476

Fielding’s last novel, and a commercial failure. His publisher felt confident that “Amelia” would be as successful as “Tom Jones,” and, after an initial printing of 5,000 copies in December 1751 (the largest recorded for any 18th-century novel), ordered a second impression (published January 1752) before the first sold out. Unfortunately, only the first day was a success, and after that sales dropped off drastically.