The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning; illustrated by Arthur Rackham - 1934

sp;- London - George G. Harrap, 1934 Book. Hardcover. First edition.. A beautiful illustrated edition with unclippeddustwrapper of Browning's poem from the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelinwith colour plates and black and white illustrations by Arthur Rackham. With illustrated endpapers. First edition. The Pied Piper of Hamelin is the subject of a legend concerning the departure or death of a great many children from the town of Hamelin, Lower Saxony, Germany, in the Middle Ages. The earliest references describe a piper, dressed in piedclothing, leading the children away from the town never to return. In the 16th century the story was expanded into a full narrative, in which the piper is a rat-catcher hired by the town to lure rats away with his magic pipe. When the citizenry refuses to pay for this service, he retaliates by turning his magic on their children, leading them away as he had the rats. This version of the story spread as a fairy tale. This version has also appeared in the writings of, among others, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the Brothers Grimm and Robert Browning. The story may reflect a historical event in which Hamelin lost its children. Theories have been proposed suggesting that the Pied Piper is a symbol of the children's death by plague or catastrophe. Other theories liken him to figures like Nicholas of Cologne, who is said to have lured away a great number of children on a disastrous Children's Crusade. A recent theory ties the departure of Hamelin's children to the Ostsiedlung, in which a number of Germans left their homes to colonise Eastern Europe. It is also a story about paying those who are due. Robert Browning (7 May 1812 12 December 1889) was an English poet and playwright whose mastery of dramatic verse, especially dramatic monologues, made him one of the foremost Victorian poets. He was buried in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey; his grave now lies immediately adjacent to that of Alfred Tennyson. Arthur Rackham (19 September 1867 - 6 September 1939) was an English book illustrator. Rackham invented his own unique technique which resembled photographic reproduction; he would first sketch an outline of his drawing, then lightly block in shapes and details. Afterwards he would add lines in pen and India ink, removing the pencil traces after it had dried. With colour pictures, he would then apply multiple washes of colour until transparent tints were created. He would also go on to expand the use of silhouette cuts in illustration work. Typically, Rackham contributed both colour and monotone illustrations towards the works incorporating his images. With previous owner's bookplate to front blank. Condition: Bound inoriginal paper wraps,with unclipped dustwrapper, in protectivebrodart wrapper. Externally, generally smart but with slight edgewear andslight marks. Internally, firmly bound. Generally bright and clean throughout with only the odd handling mark to pages. Overall:FINE with a FINE dustwrapper.