Books

Limited edition, number 529 of 550 copies, signed by the illustrator; 4to; 24 tipped in colour plates by Arthur Rackham, including frontispiece, captioned tissue guards, headpieces, tailpieces and full-page black and white illustrations also by Rackham throughout, text clean and bright; publisher's quarter vellum, gilt lettering to spine and upper cover, gilt device to upper cover, light spotting to boards, top edge gilt, others uncut or unopened, blue pictorial endpapers, housed in a custom buff solander box; overall a very good example. An attractive limited edition of John Milton's Comus, from an edition of 550 copies signed by the artist, of which this is number 529. Comus is a masque in honour of chastity, first presented on Michaelmas in 1634 before John Egerton, 1st Earl of Bridgewater, at Ludlow Castle in celebration of the Earl's new post as Lord President of Wales.

Comus: A Mask, also known as simply Comus, is a masque written by John Milton in 1634. It was first presented on Michaelmas night, September 29, 1634, before John Egerton, the Earl of Bridgewater, at Ludlow Castle in celebration of his inauguration as Lord President of Wales. Known for its themes of chastity and virtue, the narrative of Comus follows the Lady who is lost in the woods and tempted by the enchanter Comus. Her virtue and steadfastness against seduction are celebrated in the masque.