London, Sampson Low, Son and Marston, nd [1865]. First edition, first impression. Hardbacks. A near fine copy. Two volumes, complete. First book edition, several stories were published earlier in Chamber's and All the Year Round. A collection of 29 short stories. Mostly of an adventure sort, such as 'My First and Last Balloon Ascent' which involves a fight at 11,000 feet. There are fantasy elements to some of the tales, such as 'The Last of the Alchemists' and (fairly tame)supernatural elements such as 'How Professor Gaster Lectured a Ghost'. Other tales verge on fantasy: 'A Race with a Nightmare' seems to be going down that path but is rendered explicable quite early on. A nice collection, albeit one that isn't likely to pick up a Penguin Classics badge of honour any time soon. Apparently written with soldiers in mind. The volumes are bound in half leather, probably a later binding. Some scuffing to the spines and corners. Internally very nice. [10586, Hyraxia Books].