First edition and only edition. (Windle A65; Jackson no.89). Some minor wear to edges and spine ends. Some of the plates have minor foxing. The publication date on the spine is mislabled '1858' instead of the correct '1838'. Overall a beautiful set.

Provenance: Each volume bears on the front pastedown the bookplate of James Fenimore Cooper, Jr., grandson of the famed American author. The additional bookplate of Dean Sage in each volume on the front pastedown. Dean Sage was a noted businessman, philanthropist, investor, a major figure in the establishment of Cornell University, and a respected collector and author on the subject of sport fishing. Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) wrote in praise of the elder Dean Sage's sense of citizenship as well as his sense of humor, and depended on his hospitality and business acumen. (Cornell University was founded in 1865).

Dibdin's last major work. Dedication to Frances Marry Richardson Currer, preface, table of contents, list of plates, list of subscribers, supplement, general index, corrigenda. Profusely illustrated with 44 separate plates, tipped-in woodcuts, and facsimiles. Volume one has twelve unnumbered plates, volume two has 32 unnumbered plates. The work is dedicated to Frances Mary Richardson Currer, who subscribed to nine copies of the work. According to Windle, Dibdin began to contemplate writing a tour of England after the publication of his continental tour in 1821. A notebook of Dibdin's kept in the course of visiting the libraries of Cambridge University marks the preparation for this work. A facsimile of this notebook was published by Oak Knoll Press in 1989.