Books

Printed for John Sharpe, Picadilly By C. whittingham, Chiswick, 1817. First Thus. Leather Binding. Very Good. 2 volume set, each volume featuring a fine foredge painting. Volume I features a foredge painting of Milton's home in Chalfont St. Giles, nearly identical to the well-known example in the Boston Public Library foredge collection (gift of Alfred Wiggin), likely by the same artist. The differences in the image are primarily the figures at left and right foreground (who are different characters). Volume II features a foredge painting of London's Cripplegate Church, St. Giles (formallly St Giles-without-Cripplegate, where Milton is buried). This is one of the finest surviving Medieval churches iin London. A fine view from the street, the painting is by the same artist as Volume I, featuring adjoining buildings and pedestrians. Each volume beautifully bound in period full black Russia morocco (straight-grained), spines with raised bands and elaborate flower-and-leaf tooling…

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.

Identifying a first edition of Comus would entail research into the typography, paper, binding, and any available historical records of the 1634 edition published by Humphrey Robinson.