Hardback. Fine binding in full leather. xxxiii, 468+444pp. Fifth edition. Illustrated with engravings on steel and wood. Influential book on poublication. John Roby, born in Wigan, became a banker in Rochdale. It seemed unlikely to many that a banker would have a side interest in folklore, but Roby confounded the doubters when his Traditions of Lancashire became massively popular with the reading public. Roby became an important early folklorist, adopting the phrase 'oral tradition' before it became more widely used. However, he harboured literary ambitions and has been criticised for his rewriting of Lancashire oral traditions in a way that sometimes strayed too far into the realm of literary invention. Nonetheless he was admired by the likes of Francis Palgrave. Roby died in the shipwreck of the SS Orion in 1850. Green leather with raised bands to spine. Two compartments to spine with red leather labels and gilt lettering. Remaining compartments with gilt decorations. gilt ruled border to both boards on each volumes. Gilt dotted pattern to board edges. Blind impressed dentelles to leather margin inside boards. Marbled endpapers. Marbled edges. Some small points of wear to the leather at the corners and spine ends and occasionally to edges of spine. Few faint, minor marks to boards. Hint of sunning to spines. Very clean, tight square and neat. An attractive set.