The Canterbury Tales (three volumes)

Edinburgh: James Nichol, 1861. Three volume set. Packaged weight is just under 3 kilos, so extra postage will be required from buyers outside the UK. Green cloth-covered faux-Morocco style boards have some wear to spine ends and corners, also small tears to top ends of spines. Some rubbing to the boards but gilt lines to inner side of boards (next to spine) and corners are still bright. Hinges starting to split inside front and back covers (volumes 1 and 2, not so much to volume 3). A previous (original?) owner's name inside front board of volume 1 and 2, erased on volume 3. Otherwise a not too bad set of volumes, part of the publisher's "Nichol's Library Edition of the British Poets" series. This contains the text of the "Canterbury Tales" (not Bowdlerised but with some of the spelling modernised: lines 3275-6 of the Millers Tale reads "...as clerkes be full subtle and full quaint. And privily he caught her by the queinte" rather than "As clerkes ben ful subtile and ful queynte, And prively he caughte hire by the queynte"). Also contains an essay on Chaucer's language and versification, an introduction, notes and glossary by Tyrwhitt; and a memoir and critical dissertation by Rev George Gilfillan. 141pp (introduction, etc.) plus 233pp (vol 1), 31pp (life of Chaucer) plus 299pp (vol 2), 33pp (genius of Chaucer) plus 341pp (vol 3). Hard Cover. Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.