The Earthly Paradise. By William Morris.

The Kelmscott Press, Upper Mall, Hammersmith, 1896. 8 volumes, One of 225 copies on paper, of a total edition of 231 (6 on vellum).

1: 23.9 x 16.9 x 2.6 cm; pp. [8] + 200. Vol. 2: 23.9 x 16.7 x 1.9 cm; pp. [8] + 124. Vol. 3: 23.8 x 16.8 x 2.4 cm; pp. [8] + 172. Vol. 4: 23.7 x 17 x 1.9 cm; pp. [8] + 140. Vol. 5: 23.5 x 17.1 x 3.1 cm; pp. [8] + 248. Vol. 6: 23.9 x 17 x 2.8 cm; pp. [8] + 220. Vol. 7: 23.8 x 17 x 2.8 cm; pp. [8] + 204. Vol. 8: 23.9 x 16.9 x 2.5 cm; pp. [8] + 188. Golden type on Batchelor hand-made paper with Apple watermark. Four full-page woodcut borders in Vols. 2, 6, and 8, six in Vol. 1, and eight in Vols. 3, 4, 5, and 7; three-quarter woodcut borders and numerous woodcut initials; shoulder-titles, speakers’ names, and some lines in red. Original full limp vellum; title gilt on spine. Ties Complete.

The Earthly Paradise by William Morris is an epic poem. It is a lengthy collection of retellings of various myths and legends from Greece and Scandinavia. It was begun in 1868 and several later volumes followed until 1870. The Earthly Paradise was generally well received by reviewers: according to one study it “established Morris’s reputation as one of the foremost poets of his day”

Peterson A41.