The Novels of Samuel Richardson. Complete and Unabridged Volume 14

This volume is part of the 1901 Shakespeare Head Press edition of The Novels of Samuel Richardson, curated and introduced by the prominent Yale literary scholar William Lyon Phelps. This definitive collection was produced to provide a comprehensive, scholarly resource for late Victorian and Edwardian readers, aiming to standardize the text of Richardson’s seminal epistolary works like Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison during a period of renewed academic interest in the 18th-century novel.

The editorial vision was characterized by a commitment to the 'complete and unabridged' text, contrasting with the heavily edited or abridged versions common in the century prior. William Lyon Phelps sought to position Richardson as a foundational figure in the history of English literature, and his scholarly apparatus was widely lauded at the time for its historical context. The production quality, typical of early 20th-century prestige publishing, reflected the era's appreciation for fine typography and historical preservation.