L'Allegro and Il Penseroso. Illustrated with etchings on steel by Birket Foster. by MILTON, John. FOSTER, Birket [Illustrator]

London: David Bogue, 1855. First Edition. Full Calf. Good. First Edition. Full Calf. "Milton's "twin" poems L'Allegro and Il Penseroso are related to the synkriseis tradition of classical literature. In this concept, the merits of values of two opposing ideas or things are debated. Milton uses the contrasting settings of day and night to present readers with two men: the cheerful, amiable man of L'Allegro and the contemplative, melancholy man of Il Penseroso. While L'Allegro is light and melodic, creating a happy pastoral world, Il Penseroso paints a darker picture, with a slower pace and shadowry images to evoke a melancholy mood." (Deb Jensen). This copy includes a bookplate of Franklin Dexter. Bound in full calf with gold and blind stamped decoration. All gilt edges. Some bumping to corners, wear and rubbing to boards and spine. Two small closed tears to blank page opposite title-page, front endpaper detached and some leaves detached near rear. Sporadic foxing to a few pages not affecting text or… Read More

London: W. Kent & Co., 1860. Boards. Good. 28 cm; [4] pages, [24] leaves, each interleaved with onionskin. Portrait on title page, and 28 steel-engraved vignettes in text. Title page in red and black; text printed in red. Bound in full vellum with gilt-stamped border on both boards, leather title label, marbled endleaves by Tomes of Leamington. All edges gilt. Title label scuffed, vellum lightly soiled. Upper hinge splitting; lower hinge tender. Title page somewhat foxed, especially at edges; interleaves foxed; pages evenly toned, with light scattered foxing; first and last blanks toned darker. Early owner's inscription on front blank. One of several mid-19th-century editions of Milton's two pastoral poems illustrated with vignettes in the Victorian style by Foster.