The board's edges are chipped, pp. 36 to 39 are dog- eared, and 2 plates are missing, the frontispiece ( Sir David Wilkie) and the one opposite page 51 (Alfred in the Neatherd's Cottage) This could be a misbound as there is no sign of their removal. Overall a clean, solid and unmarked copy. 'Sir David Wilkie RA (18 November 1785 - 1 June 1841) was a British painter, especially known for his genre scenes. He painted successfully in a wide variety of genres, including historical scenes, portraits, including formal royal ones, and scenes from his travels to Europe and the Middle East. His main base was in London, but he died and was buried at sea, off Gibraltar, returning from his first trip to the Middle East. He was sometimes known as the "people's painter". He was Principal Painter in Ordinary to King William IV and Queen Victoria. Apart from royal portraits, his best known painting today is probably The Chelsea Pensioners reading the Waterloo Dispatch of 1822 in Apsley House.' (Wikipedia)