ITALY: A POEM

T. Cadell; Jennnigs & Chaplin; E. Moxon, London. 1830. First illustrated edition, the scarce first issue with the transposed plates on pages 88 and 91. INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR: "Stephen Olding From the Author, Oct. 1830". Full 19th century paneled calf, upper and lower covers with three panels of triple gilt fillets, the spine with four compartments within blind tooled fillets, ruled gilt at head and tail and with five raised bands, three being of broad width tooled with ornate foliate pallets gilt. Red morocco spine label lettered gilt. All edges gilt. 8vo. 7.5 inches x 5 inches (19cms x 13cms). viipp, 284pp, with publisher's advertisement at rear [1p]. Illustrated throughout with 55 fine steel-engraved illustrations after J.M.W. Turner, Stothard and others. Binding a little rubbed and bumped at corners, slightly frayed at foot of spine. Upper board, front endpaper and first blank are split along hinge and barely held by one binding chord only. First gathering starting and jutting slightly proud of main text block. Some age toning and light foxing to endpapers and prelims and a few handling marks but the majority of the text is relatively free from the foxing that is often encountered in this title. Text block is otherwise tight and sound. A little restoration work needed to the binding but a desirable copy of the uncommon first issue of this important illustrated book with the added attraction of the author's inscription. Roger's lyrical and picturesque poems, praising the attractions of Italian cities and topography was first printed without illustrations in two parts (1822-1828), to little public acclaim. Consequently, it was reissued in 1830 in an edition profusely illustrated with line and stipple engravings after J. M. W. Turner, J. T. Stothard, and Samuel Prout. This illustrated edition was immediately greeted with enthusiastic praise and was much lauded by John Ruskin, amongst many others. Turner's illustrations are generally considered to be the best of his work produced for vignette engraving, which Encyclopedia Britannica describes as "the peak of excellence in steel engravings and the finest ever produced." Gordon Ray, in 'The Illustrator and the Book in England' described the illustrations as "little jewels" adding that "the delicate and graceful vignettes, which are miracles of fine detail, seem fairly to float upon the page". By 1832 the book is said to have sold six thousand copies, bringing Turner much fame and wealth. All of Turner's original watercolours except for one remain in the Turner Bequest housed at the Tate Gallery and an example of each of the engraved plates after Turner can also be found in the Tate collection. The illustrations do not necessarily represent the content of Rogers's verse and are generally Turner's own impressions of the beauties of Italy.…