LYRICAL BALLADS

London: Printed for T. N. Longman and O. Rees, 1800.

The revolutionary manifesto of the romantic poets of the next generation." - PMM 256

(Item #864) LYRICAL BALLADS. William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

LYRICAL BALLADS

London: Printed for T. N. Longman and O. Rees, 1800. Second edition of V. 1; and First edition of Vol. 2. Second edition of V. 1; and First edition of Vol. 2. A clean set in a charming 19th century full morocco binding signed by Wood, London. Five raised bands on the spine, intricate gilt tooling, marbled end pages, silk markers and gilt top edge. Previous bookseller notation tipped in on verso of end paper with a few pencil notations, otherwise unmarked and in excellent condition (with minor wear to the leather at the extremities). Small octavo (pages 162 x 98 mm), collating: xlvi, 210, [v, "Notes"]; iv, 227, [i, "Errata"], complete, but bound without the blank after the preface in volume 1.

The second edition of volume 1, but the first to contain Wordsworth's "Preface" condemning 18th century artificiality in poetry. "Its outline of the supreme function of poetry expressed in such phrases as that poetry 'takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility', set a new tone; and it became in effect the revolutionary manifesto of the romantic poets of the next generation." (PMM 256) The first volume contains Coleridge's Romantic masterpiece "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (previously printed in the first edition of 1798), with it's haunting, exquisite beauty. Volume 2 is the first edition of several other poems, including: "Michael, a Pastoral," the "Matthew" poems and several of the "Lucy" poems. A significant milestone in the course of English literature.
(Item #864)