Notes and Lectures upon Shakespeare; Old Poets and Dramatists

Notes and Lectures upon Shakespeare and Some of the Old Poets and Dramatists, Samuel Taylor Coleridge — First Edition Publication: London, William Pickering, 1849 Formatting: 12mo, 2 volumes. Vol. I: pp. [xv], 372; Vol. II: pp. [v], 371. Condition Report: Very Good. The two volumes present handsomely in their original blind-stamped publisher's cloth, remaining structurally sound with a tight and secure binding. The cloth displays shelf-wear, predominantly at the spine ends and corners, which are lightly bumped and gently frayed. The spines have uniformly darkened slightly with age, though the gilt lettering remains remarkably bright and legible. The visible leaves appear generally clean with only occasional minor spotting, while the inner boards and endpapers show minor offset browning and general age-toning. Overall, a highly respectable, attractive set of a fragile mid-nineteenth-century publication. Catalogue Note: This set represents the posthumously published first edition of Coleridge’s gathered lectures on Shakespeare and other dramatists, meticulously compiled and edited by his daughter, Mrs. H. N. Coleridge. Published by the esteemed William Pickering, the second volume proudly bears his iconic Aldine dolphin and anchor device ("Aldi Discip. Anglvs") on the title page. Bibliographically intriguing, this specific copy features a bound-in publisher's catalogue for Edward Moxon & Co. dated February 1861. Following Pickering's bankruptcy and death in the mid-1850s, it was common for remaindered sheets to be acquired by other prominent publishers; Moxon likely acquired the remaining unbound stock of this title, binding them up in the original style while inserting his own timely advertisements. This makes the set a fascinating testament to mid-Victorian publishing and distribution practices. Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Notes and Lectures upon Shakespeare stands as a monumental work of Romantic literary criticism. Originally delivered as a series of highly successful public lectures that captivated London audiences, Coleridge’s profound psychological insights reshaped the modern understanding of Shakespeare, elevating the Bard from a skilled playwright to an unparalleled genius of human nature and poetic imagination. Painstakingly gathered from manuscript fragments and contemporary reports by his daughter, this collection cements Coleridge's enduring legacy as one of England's most perceptive and influential literary minds.…