The Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley in Verse and Prose. Now first brought together with many pieces not before published.Edited with prefaces, notes, and appendices by Harry Buston Forman. In Eight Volumes. With a splendid autograph letter signed by H. Buxton Forman dated "23 May, 1911." The letter is one sheet of laid paper, folded in half and written on all 4 sides and signed "Most sincerely yours, H. Buxton Forman (underscored)." It asks Neville Rogers about a complete translation of Lysistrata with text and comment

Shelley, Percy Bysshe. (With ALS by H. Buxton Forman)

Published by Reeves and Turner, London, 1880

About this Item

Splendidly bound octavos in 8 volumes; in period bindings of green moroccan leather spines with leather tips; with marbled paper-covered boards, raised bands, and bright gilt lettering on the spines. Marbled endpapers and all edges marbled. The color of the spines has sunned to burnished brown. With a little snag to the marbled paper on the rear boards of volume V. The bindings are signed by Bickers & Sons of Leicester and So.E. London. This is the first important collected edition of Shelley's works. There is some light rubbing to the extremities, most noticeably at the corners. With manuscript poems printed in facsimile on special laid paper; and with the large folding multi-page plates of the Percy Bysshe Shelley Pedigree in volume 5. A handsome and scarce edition, especially with an ALS from the editor H.Buston Forman to Shelley scholar Neville Rogers.Note: The Neville Rogers papers at Ohio University span from 1861 to 1985 and document Rogers's personal and professional life. The bulk relates to his research and authorship of the Oxford English Texts The Complete Poetical Works of Shelley. Buxton Forman's letter to Neville Rogers appears below. 46 Marlborough HillLondon N.W 23 May 1911Dearest Rogers, Am I indiscreet in asking whether we shall soon have a complete Lysistrata with text and comment? Your "free translation" is one of my most constant companions; and I have alway supposed that you would find a way out for some of the omitted parts. I was not able to go last autumn and see the work produced by Miss Gertrude Kingeton at "the little Theatre"; but I have now got Housemans paraphrase-only just printed-and I have been reading it alongside of your and Hickie (Bohn, 1870). Hickie is dreadful, on the whole; but between the three versions I somehow get the notion that Lysistrata, not-withstanding certain things that from our point of view are marked by levity and scurrility, is in truth a creation of great dignity. That I am not scholar enough to get from the Greek original is light on Aristophanes true attitude towards such a woman as Lysistrata. Did he think her and mean her to be what a woman ought to be to command our respect and admiration? Personally, I have no difficulty in swallowing the details of her administered oath, her instructions to Myrrhina, or even her lesson on the correct way of introducing the "Spartian gitties" who came to trial for peace. But I am out of my depth, and earnestly wanting the assistance of your work in its final form will give me. As to the Housman paraphrase, I feel sure you would be interested in it; and if you have not seen it, I would like to send it to you. Most sincerely yours, H. Buxton Forman (Underscored).

Seller Inventory # 1080

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley in Verse and Prose. Now first brought together with many pieces not before published.Edited with prefaces, notes, and appendices by Harry Buston Forman. In Eight Volumes. With a splendid autograph letter signed by H. Buxton Forman dated "23 May, 1911." The letter is one sheet of laid paper, folded in half and written on all 4 sides and signed "Most sincerely yours, H. Buxton Forman (underscored)." It asks Neville Rogers about a complete translation of ...
• Publisher: Reeves and Turner, London
• Publication Date: 1880
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition.
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • Poetry