The Novels of Samuel Richardson: Complete and Unabridged, Volume 19

This volume is part of the Shakespeare Head Press edition of The Novels of Samuel Richardson, originally published in the 1930s. Edited by William Lyon Phelps, a prominent Yale professor and literary critic of the era, the collection was intended to provide a definitive, scholarly, and comprehensive set of Richardson’s epistolary masterworks, including Clarissa, Pamela, and Sir Charles Grandison. The set is noted for its high-quality production values typical of the Shakespeare Head Press, which sought to revive fine bookmaking traditions through clean typography and durable binding.

William Lyon Phelps was highly regarded for his ability to make classic literature accessible to a wider audience, and his involvement in this project brought an academic authority to the set that appealed to both institutional libraries and private bibliophiles. The design reflects the mid-twentieth-century preference for traditional, austere elegance, focusing on readability and the preservation of Richardson’s lengthy narrative structures. Upon its release, the edition was praised for its thorough editorial oversight and remains a staple for serious students of eighteenth-century English literature.