The Argosy: 1866 Midsummer Volume and 1866 Christmas Volume; Griffith Gaunt; Lotta Schmidt by Reade, Charles; Trollope, Anthony; Oliphant, Mrs.; Smith, Alexander; Buchanan, Robert; Ingelow, Jean; Kingsley, Henry; Vambery, Arminius; MacDonald, George; Edwards, Amelia B.; Dobell, Sydney; and others - 1866

London: Alexander Strahan [The Argosy Magazine ], 1866. First edition. A Very Good Scarce set of the 1866 Midsummer Volume and the 1866 Christmas Volume of The Argosy, an English magazine published by the notable London Publisher Alexander Strahan, composed of works by many authors, including among them the first appearance of "Griffith Gaunt" by Charles Reade, "Lotta Schmidt" by Anthony Trollope, and many other entries. Each Volume is in Very Good condition with general wear to each (see our photographs) and some scattered foxing, each Volume being complete with a frontispiece and associated tissue guard. The hinges are in surprisingly good condition, with only minor cracking to those on the Midsummer Volume and being uncracked in the Christmas Volume. Alexander Strahan (who already published Good Words magazine) organized the Argosy in 1865 as a competitor to the quite popular Cornhill Magazine with a plan to publish both fiction and poetry, and to provide high-quality black and white illustrations. While not a successful as the Cornhill, the Argosy did attract and regularly publish notable writers and poets such as Christina Rossetti, Charles Reade, Mrs. [Margaret] Oliphant, George MacDonald, and Ellen Wood. Strahan published a number of Serials in the Argosy, the most important of which was Charles Reade's "Griffith Gaunt", a tale which Reade, one of 19th Century English most popular Novelists, considered to be the best of his novels. The first installment appeared in 1866 and the entirety of the work is contained in the two Volumes herein described. The story was the Argosy's first great success and the Sensational Novel thereafter became the magazine's trademark. The Christmas Volume notably also includes the first appearance of Anthony Trollope's short story "Lotta Schmidt", a tale which Strahan later published in book form -- with other Trollope short stories -- in his "Lotta Schmidt and Other Tales" (1867). A Very Good copy of this notable pair of Argosy Volumes and quite scarce to the market. QUITE SCARCE INDEED.