MARY SHELLEY'S EDITION OF SHELLEY'S ESSAYS, LETTERS FROM ABROAD, TRANSLATIONS AND FRAGMENTS, IN ORIGINAL CLOTH
SHELLEY, Percy Bysshe. Essays, Letters from Abroad, Translations and Fragments. London: Edward Moxon, 1840. Two volumes. Octavo, full original red cloth, gilt spines, blind-stamped boards. Housed in a custom clamshell box.
First edition of Mary Shelley's important collected edition of her husband's prose works, in original cloth.
After Shelley's death in 1822, Mary Shelley devoted herself to publishing his manuscripts and writing his biography. She first attempted to publish Shelley's poems in 1824, but his father, Sir Timothy Shelley, prevented further publication of Shelley's writings for 15 years. "In 1839, the obstacles to an authentic edition having been removed… Mrs. Shelley published what was then supposed to be a definitive edition… A collection of his letters and miscellaneous writings followed in 1840" (ODNB). Wise, 73. Forman 77. Lowndes, 2375. Early owner ink signature; penciled initials.
Interiors clean and fine, some minor spotting to cloth, gilt bright. Near-fine in the original cloth.