SHELLEY, Mary. Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus, Revised, Corrected. (1831 - FIRST PRINTING OF THE THIRD AND FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION)

AUTHOR: SHELLEY, Mary. 

TITLE: Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus, Revised, Corrected, and Illustrated with a New Introduction by the Author - BOUND WITH - The Ghost Seer. Volume IX of Bentley's Standard Novels series. 

PUBLISHER: London: Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley, 1831.

DESCRIPTION: FIRST PRINTING OF THE THIRD AND FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION. 1 vol., 6-3/4" x 4-1/2", with the engraved frontis and additional engraved title-page, and a new introduction by Mary Shelley, bound with the "Ghost-Seer", includes the final 1 page ad leaf, as issued.  Bound in early 1/2 tan calf, plain unlettered spine.

CONDITION: Head and foot of spine fine, neat repair to front upper hinge, some very mild offsetting to frontis, oval library stamp of "The Loyal Alyth Public Library" to 15 pages, otherwise internally clean and bright, hinges fine, a VERY GOOD copy in a contemporary binding.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The "Loyal Alyth Public Library" was founded by William Ogilvy of Loyal in 1871 and operated until 1912.

All first three printings of "Frankenstein" are scarce.  The first printing of the third edition contains the first ever attempt to illustrate the Monster.  In her introduction, Shelley contextualizes the creation of her tale: "It proved a wet, ungenial summer, and incessant rain often confined us for days to the house. Some volumes of ghost stories, translated from the German into French, fell into our hands… 'We will each write a ghost story,' said Lord Byron; and his proposition was acceded to"..... "And now, once again, I bid my hideous progeny go forth and prosper".