# Is "English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, Excluding Drama (OHEL)" by C.S. Lewis a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, Excluding Drama (OHEL) by C.S. Lewis (Oxford University Press / Clarendon Press, 1954) is identified by: First edition 1954, volume III of the Oxford History of English Literature (general editors F.P. UK Oxford University Press (Clarendon Press) is the true first, 1954.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition 1954, volume III of the Oxford History of English Literature (general editors F.P. Wilson and Bonamy Dobree)
- Large octavo in publisher's black cloth with gilt lettering to the spine, in the light-yellow dust jacket printed in brown
- The key first-issue point is the printed OHEL series list of the projected volumes: on the earliest issue only a small number of the twelve titles are marked 'Published,' whereas later-issue jackets list additional titles as published
- The copyright page carries the 1954 date with no later-printing statement
- Publisher imprint reads Oxford University Press / Clarendon Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | C.S. Lewis |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press / Clarendon Press |
| Year | 1954 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition 1954, volume III of the Oxford History of English Literature (general editors F.P. Wilson and Bonamy Dobree) |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First edition 1954, volume III of the Oxford History of English Literature (general editors F.P. Wilson and Bonamy Dobree). Large octavo in publisher's black cloth with gilt lettering to the spine, in the light-yellow dust jacket printed in brown. The key first-issue point is the printed OHEL series list of the projected volumes: on the earliest issue only a small number of the twelve titles are marked 'Published,' whereas later-issue jackets list additional titles as published. The copyright page carries the 1954 date with no later-printing statement.

## Is this the true first?
UK Oxford University Press (Clarendon Press) is the true first, 1954.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue; later reprints update the printed series list and the copyright-page printing statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, Excluding Drama (OHEL)* by C.S. Lewis a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/english-literature-in-the-sixteenth-century-excluding-drama
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.