Robert Smith Surtees has long been considered to be one of the great comic chroniclers of the foibles of country life. A sports writer by profession, he was a regular contributor to magazines and periodicals, and produced numerous treatises on animal welfare laws. His affection for the chase, however, is never more obvious than in the light-hearted romp of \"Plain or Ringlets?\"This comic novel, which gives an entertaining insight into Victorian hunting society, tells the story of the beautiful Rosa McDermott and the charismatic John Bunting. Their marriage was foretold by Gypsy prophecy, but the course of love never does run smooth, and the wealthy Jasper Goldsmith arrives to complicate proceedings. Questions abound: Which way will Rosa turn? Which suitor will emerge victorious? Will it be \"plain\" or will it be \"ringlets\"?This is the first bound edition of the novel, which was previously released as a partwork between 1858 and 1860, and is in wonderful condition for its age. Illustrated throughout with engravings by the famous \"Punch\" illustrator John Leech, including twelve utterly delightful hand-coloured plates.Externally: Fully bound in brown leather with gilt-stamped borders on front and back covers, patterned gilt edging and an elaborately decorated fascia on the spine: the top \"panel\" of the fascia has been lost, but the cover is otherwise intact. The cover is rather worn with age, but in a way which enhances the book\'s attractiveness. The edges of the book block are attractively marbled.Internally: Beautifully marbled endpapers. Front and back internal hinges repaired professionally with brown buckram. Bookplate on front pastedown in the name of James Eckersley. Pages are in remarkable condition for their age, being lightly tanned but almost completely free from foxing (some light foxing on front blank page, title page and dedication page.) Pages are slightly tanned, most notably on the pages facing the colour plates, which interestingly have tanned as a mirror image of the illustrations! Very occasionally, pages have dirty fingerprints.