1863 English Sacred Poetry of the Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Nineteenth Centuries.

Description

Decorative Binding, Early Edition, Fine Binding, Illustrated, Leather Binding, Prize Binding, Scarce

An early edition of the work, with 1861 as the earliest record of its being published; the next new edition published in 1862.

Scarce.

In full morocco prize binding with gilt decorations, borders, title, and fore edges, as well as marbled pastedowns and marbled first free endpapers. Front pastedown bearing the bookseller and stationer's plate of Henry Wright Stationer & Bookseller, New Street, Birmingham which is illustrated with a coat of arms. Inscription to the second front free endpaper reads 'Frank W. Elkington, a Remembrance from Edwin Laundry Xmas. 1868.'

Beautifully illustrated throughout with monochrome vignettes including a frontispiece drawn by Holman Hunt, though appears to be missing three illustrations by Harrison Weir intended to appear on pp. 78, 79; these are 'The Only One -- The Earth', 'The Only One -- The Air', and 'The Only One -- The Sea'. Engraved by The Brothers Dalziel, who started London's largest and most influential wood engraving firm in the Victorian period, a golden age of British illustration. This is a lovely anthology of English religious poetry by some of the greats, including Elizabeth Barrett Browning's 'The Weakest Thing', John Donne's 'Death', and John Milton's 'Morning Prayer in Paradise'. Selected, edited, and with contributions from Robert Aris Willmott, an English cleric and author.