MORRIS, WILLIAM.

THE EARTHLY PARADISE, A POEM.

(London: F. S. Ellis, 1870 [vols. I, II]; Boston: Ro). 194 x 130 mm (7 5/8 x 5 1/8"). Four volumes. Mixed early editions: Fifth Edition of volumes I and II (i.e., Fourth Impression of the First Edition); First American Edition of volumes III and IV.

Deep burgundy half morocco over wine-colored textured buckram, raised bands flanked by black and gilt rules, spine panels with central gilt fleuron, top edges gilt. With Burne-Jones' woodcut of the Three Graces on title pages and in colophons. LeMire A-4.04, A-4.08, A-4.10. Spine faded to hazel brown, joints and extremities somewhat worn (tiny chip out of the top of one spine), leaves with overall slight browning because of quality of paper, but a perfectly usable copy with some shelf appeal, the original morocco bindings mellowed but solid and without any fatal flaw, and the text with almost no signs of use.

This is Morris' longest and most ambitious poem, and the one that made him famous. Considered the nearest thing possible to a Pre-Raphaelite epic, it consists of 24 moody verse tales involving 14th century Viking wanderers, and was written when Morris was becoming fascinated with Icelandic and Norse sagas. William Morris (1834-96) is best remembered as the most important figure in the revival of printing in England in his role as the founder of the Kelmscott Press, which was at the forefront of the modern private press movement (see item #579, above). But in his own day, he was better known as one of the leading Pre-Raphaelite poets. (ST11462a-208)