Books

First edition illustrated by Arthur Rackham. 4to. Green cloth with gilt lettering and vignettes in the original pictorial dustwrapper. A fine copy, just a little spotting to page edges, gilt uncommonly bright, in a near fine dustwrapper, which is clean, compete and very attractive, with just a little rubbing to the spine ends. Pale blue endpapers with illustrations in white silhouette, 24 tipped in colour plates under captioned tissue guards, plus lots of black and white drawings. The dustwrapper is fully illustrated with a wraparound colour scene. The dustwrapper artwork for this book does not appear anywhere else.

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.