12mo., with an engraved frontispiece by Armstrong and engraved title-vignette by Mitan (both after Cooke), frontispiece and title mildly foxed, neat contemporary initials and date on title, title wanting top outer corner, some light marginal age-staining to text; most attractively bound in early nineteenth-century full calf, sides with double gilt frame border enclosing a well-proportioned Greek key border all in gilt, neatly rebacked in calf gilt to style, gilt doublures, marbled endpapers, marbled edges, a very good, crisp copy of a scarce issue. With the large mid-nineteenth century bookplate of Reginald Dolley on paste-downs. The letters of 'Junius' were written to the 'London Public Advertiser' between 1769 and 1772 as part of a concerted and venomous attack on the government of the Duke of Grafton in favour of the return of the Earl of Chatham. Following numerous pirated and incomplete editions, the first authorised version appeared in 1772 and was an immediate success. The letters were regarded as models of neo-classical style (they were praised by both Burke and Johnson) and have been many times reprinted. Their authorship remains a major literary enigma of eighteenth century English literature. Harvey (OCEL) and CBEL favour Sir Philip Francis (the case would appear a strong one) but there are at least forty other nominees including figures as diverse as Burke, Gibbon, Temple, Tooke and Walpole. A SCARCE ISSUE IN WELL-PRESERVED PERIOD BINDING
