Books

"The Ring and the Book" by Robert Browning. Smith Elder, London. 1868-1869 first edition, first issue. Four volumes. vol. 3 with light spotting to title, but very clean generally, original cloth, spines darkened, spine ends and corners a little bumped, but a bright, sharp set generally. The Ring and the Book is a long dramatic narrative poem, and, more specifically, a verse novel, of 21,000 lines, written by Robert Browning. The book tells the story of a murder trial in Rome in 1698, whereby an impoverished nobleman, Count Guido Franceschini, is found guilty of the murders of his young wife Pompilia (Comparini) and her parents, having suspected his wife was having an affair with a young cleric, Giuseppe Caponsacchi. Having been found guilty despite his protests and sentenced to death, Guido then appeals unsuccessfully to Pope Innocent XII to overturn the conviction.

'The Ring and the Book' is an epic poem by Robert Browning, published in 1868. It is a narrative poem, containing twelve books.