liv BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

EDITIONS OF THE WHOLE WORK

New Edition (1874),* being the Third of each volume, and the First of the whole work published together. Generally known as the Autograph Edition, from the fact of the new preface being signed by the author. The titlepages (enclosed in a ruled frame) are as follow:

The Stones of Venice. | Volume the First. | The Foundations. | By John Ruskin, LL.D. | Author of “Modern Painters,” | etc. etc. | With illustrations drawn by the Author. | A New Edition. | London: | Smith, Elder, & Co., 15 Waterloo Place. | 1874 |. [The Author reserves the right of translation.]

The Stones of Venice. | Volume the Second. | The Sea-Stories. | By John Ruskin, LL.D. | etc. etc.

The Stones of Venice. | Volume the Third. | The Fall. | By John Ruskin, LL.D. | tc. etc.

The collation is: vol. i. pp. xxii.+400. “Preface to New Edition” (here, pp. 11-16) occupies pp. v.-ix.; Preface to the First Edition, pp. xi.-xviii. The imprint at foot of p. 400 is: “London: Printed by Spottiswoode & Co. New Street Square and Parliament Street.”-vol. ii. pp. vii.+394. The imprint on reverse of title-page (repeated at foot of the last page) is “Printed by Ballantyne & Company, Edinburgh and London.”-vol. iii. pp. iv.+362. Imprint as in vol. ii. There were four indices:-(1) “Personal Index,” pp. 257-262; (2) “Local Index,” pp. 263-266; (3) “Topical Index,” pp. 267-282; (4) “Venetian Index,” pp. 283-362. The latter was retained in all subsequent editions; the three former did not appear after this edition, owing to the preparation of the more elaborate index described below.

The “New Edition” was issued on October 14, 1873, in boards similar to those of the previous editions. 1500 copies (see note*); price £5, 15s. 6d. the set. The illustrations are decidedly less satisfactory in this edition than in edition 1. The inferiority of the coloured plates in vol. i. has been noted above (p. xlviii.); it should be added that in most of the mezzotints a line tint was engraved to strengthen them; the use of a magnifying glass will reveal this at once. The text follows that of the Second Edition of each volume. This edition does not command a high price; copies have been sold in the auction-rooms for not more than £3, 8s.

Fourth Edition (1886).-The title-pages (enclosed in a ruled frame) are as follows:-

The | Stones of Venice. | Volume the First [Second and Third]. | The Foundations [The Sea-Stories and The Fall]. | By | John Ruskin, LL.D., | Honorary Student of Christ Church, | and Honorary Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. | With Illustrations drawn by the Author. | Fourth Edition. | George Allen, | Sunnyside, Orpington, Kent. | 1886. | The Author reserves the Right of Translation.

* Some copies, purporting to be of this edition, are dated “1873.” These are made up of “remainders” of the Second Edition, with new title-pages and preface. It appears from a memorandum by the publisher preserved by Ruskin that 750 copies

[Version 0.04: March 2008]