The Rising Generation. A Series of Twelve Drawings on Stone by John Leech from his original designs in the Gallery of Mr. Punch

1848. London: Published at the Punch Office, [1848].

Folio. Original illustrated wrappers and 12 hand-colored plates interleaved by blanks, bound in half red morocco ruled and lettered in gilt with marbled endpapers and small oval bookplate of Alexander McGrigor. Hinges and board edges somewhat worn, large closed tear and small chips in wrappers repaired, marginal staining and small repairs to some plates; the illustrations themselves generally clean and bright. Overall a well-preserved example of an uncommon work very often broken up.

§ First edition, a series of twelve large lithographs based on smaller designs Leech had drawn for Punch's Pictures of Life & Character. A wonderful poke at kids-these-days (c.1840s), specifically fresh-faced young boys acting the part of disaffected young men, e.g. the "clever juvenile", roughly twelve years old, reclining in the coffee house, cravat askew, who pronounces: "Shakespeare? Pooh! For my part, I consider Shakespeare a very much over-rated man." Timeless. (Inventory #: 126704)