MORRIS, William (1834-96). The Earthly Paradise, 1905, parts I - XII, 8vo, original holland-backed blue paper boards. With a small quantity of books of related interest. (qty).

MORRIS, William (1834-96).  The Earthly Paradise. A Poem. London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1905, Parts I - XII, 8vo (188 x 125mm). Half titles, photogravure portrait of William Morris in the first volume (some very light browning). Original holland-backed blue paper boards, the spines numbered in red (spines a little faded, corners lightly rubbed). Provenance: Clive Wilmer (signature on front free endpaper of part I); "from Michael Bulkley" (modern inscription on the front free endpaper, written beneath Clive Wilmer's signature). "... [The Earthly Paradise was first] published [between] 1868-70, consisting of a prologue and 24 tales, in Chaucerian metres ... Between the tales are interpolated lyrics describing the changing seasons, and the whole work is prefaced by an Apology which contains some of Morris's best known (and in a sense most misleading) lines, in which he described himself as 'the idle singer of an empty day', 'born out of my due time' ..." (The Oxford Companion to English Literature, ed. Drabble, 1985). With a small quantity of books of related interest, many signed, annotated or inscribed by or to Clive Wilmer. Provenance: From the Collection of Clive Wilmer (1945-2025; please see lot 418 for further biographical information) (qty)