This 4 volume set starts with an account of the life of John Evelyn by Henry Wheatley. This is followed by the diaries and selections from his letters edited from the original manuscripts by William Bray.John Evelyn (1620—1706) is described in the preface as a cultured man of the world and the model English country gentleman. A friend of Samuel Pepys, his diaries cover the period 1640 to 1706 and include events such as the execution of Charles 1, the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London. This edition was published in 1906 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Evelyn’s death.The volumes are in good condition with gilt titles on the spine and a gilt crest on the front covers. The top edges of the papers are gilt while the other edges are untrimmed. The corners of the cover are worn and bumped and there is also some wear to the top and bottom of the spines. The binding is sound and the pages are clean and unmarked. The books contain a number of attractive illustrations.