Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry Ballads Songs by Thomas Percy in 1858 Victorian Antique Full Brown Leather Binding Eton College.

Printing: Published in London and Edinburgh by James Nichol / Nisbet., 1858. Volume One.

Description: Thomas Percy - Reliques of Ancient English Poetry: Consisting of Old Heroic Ballads, Songs, and Other Pieces of Our Earlier Poets. Volume One.

Thomas Percy (1729-1811) Lord Bishop of Dromore, poet and scholar. Might sound a tad dry, I know, but not so! You see, this book, which would make his reputation, came about through one of those weird moments of chance that life does so well. It was a great spot of random luck, really, that enabled old Percy to first stumble across these priceless versions of old English ballads: there he was one day, spying, at close quarters, an intriguing ancient manuscript, and watching as it coyly headed off into danger in the winsome arms of an unsuspecting female member of the household. At this point, the heroic Percy dashed forward, and wrestled it from the maid who was just about to use it for lighting a fire. Ouch. Imagine that? A treasured piece of English history might have been lost forever but for the bishop's impressive athleticism. Wow, what a guy. Obviously feeling dead relieved and somewhat chuffed at his dashing performance, Percy dusted himself down and promptly got the book published in 1765 where it would prove highly influential: not only responsible for the ballad revival in English poetry, but a significant influence on the early works of the "Romantic Poets" too. My gosh. But for the swift, Usain Bolt-like actions of the bishop the entire history of English poetry might have looked very different indeed! I bet the maid didn't get her Christmas bonus that year.

So - presented here is an authentic, mid-Victorian antiquarian binding of heroic Percy's collection of ballads and romances dating from the late medieval period to the seventeenth century. It covers subjects such as the border wars, folklore and the supernatural, the legends of King Arthur and Robin Hood, and includes popular ballads such as "The Ballad of Chevy Chase."

In this solid (very) nineteenth century binding we can admire the decidedly sturdy nature of the original, brown leather boards, the ornate blind-stamp design, as well as the spine with its five raised bands and attractive gilt designs within each compartment. Rather nice - nifty shelf appeal! Also very nice is the publisher's crimson red stain to all page edges which really does lend an unexpectedly jaunty edge to the book I think.

Dimensions: Approx. 14cm x 22cm.

Condition: The book is solid and excellent in its binding, with no spine lean, but displaying the usual inevitable signs of rubbing and wear to be expected with its age - the leather is a bit worn to the extremities and a small strip is rubbed away at the foot of the rear board. As we turn inside the book, the pages remain clean and without issue. There is a little very light foxing to the front endpapers, but this is very minor, and intrudes no further. It's nice to see that the personal history of this book is an attractive one that, fittingly, relates to England's most famous school: to the blank front endpaper is the neatly penned presentation inscription to one of the Jelf family members - here being Richard Henry Jelf, on his leaving Eton College, 1860. Colonel Jelf (1844-1913) would become a distinguished British army officer and commandant of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.

By the way, this book would make a great companion piece to our listing for George Herbert's Poetical Works.

Please see my listings of the following for more interesting Eton connections... Coleridge - Poems; Milton's Poems; Nightingale Valley, Samuel Rogers, Poems of Thomas Gray...

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