The Mabinogion by Lady Charlotte Guest - 1877

ont> Bernard Quaritch : London, 1877 Book. Very Good. Hardcover. A second edition of Lady Charlotte Guest's important translation of the classical Middle Welsh prose collection 'The Mabinogion', illustrated with head and tail pieces throughout. The second edition thus of this work, being the second edition of Lady Charlotte Guest's translation. With a half-title. Illustrated with an engraved title page vignette, and head and tail pieces. Title page printed in red and black. Collated, complete. 'Mabinogion' is an early prose, a collection of stories that were compiled in Middle Welsh during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, transcribed from earlier oral traditions. There are a total of twelve stories in this volume, with the most famous being the hero quest 'Culhwch and Olwen' and the historic legend 'Lludd and Llefelys'. It is agreed by scholars that there is a deep complexity to the Four Branches of the Mabinogi, with four the of stories being contained in these branches, 'Pwyll', 'Branwen', 'Manawydan', and 'Math'. These are the most clearly mythological stories in the volume. It is unknown when the works were written, with the dates being debated, and narrowed down to around 1050 to 1225. This translation by Guest remained the standard translation for this work from it's publication until the mid twentieth century. The translation established 'Mabinogion' as source literature of Europe, playing to the Chivalric romances of King Arthur and Gothic romances which were in vogue at the time. Translated by Lady Charlotte Guest, an aristocrat who is best known for this translation. She was a figure of the Welsh Renaissance and the study of literature in the nineteenth century, and was also a well known collector of porcelain, fans, games, and playing cards, the collections of which are now in museums. Label to the rear pastedown, 'Wyman & Sons'. Condition: In the original publisher's quarter morocco binding with marbled paper to the boards. Externally, generally smart. Bumping to the extremities. A little fading to the spine. Minor rubbing to the boards and spine. Small crack to the tail of the front board. Front hinge is starting but firm. Binder's label to the rear pastedown. Internally, generally firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean with the odd handling mark. Closed tear to the fore edge of page 73/74, not affecting text. Overall Condition: Very Good.