The Minor Poems of William Cowper

This is a gorgeous finely bound edition of this early ninteenth century poetry collection, which was published in 1818 by John Sharpe. It is illustrated with seven black and white plates, including the frontispieces for Vol I and II. It is complete in one volume.

The book is in Good to Very Good condition overall. Blue leather hardboards, with ornate gilt decoration and blind-embossed patterning. Spne with four raised bands, and two red leather title blocks, alongside gilt decorative touches. Marbled page edges, and neat endbands. Ornate red and blue marbled endpapers. Gilt dentelle. Ripped and bumped board corners. Scuffing to front board, and loss to leather at external hinges. Rubbed to top and tail, with loss to top of spine. Darkened top page edge. All gilt to spine along with title blocks darkened. 25 or so pages dog-eared, with impact on closure of book. Fading to gilt dentelle in spots, and particularly to top board edges. Ownership plate of J. J. Sanders to front endpaper, with further gift inscription in ink to prelims. Bleeding from plates onto adjacent pages. Front hinge pulling to prelims, and rear hinge starting. Textblock clean and tight. 16.5cm x 10cm. 108 pp. + 108 pp.

Cowper was an English poet and hymnodist. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the English countryside. In many ways, he was one of the forerunners of Romantic poetry. Samuel Taylor Coleridge called him "the best modern poet", whilst William Wordsworth particularly admired his poem Yardley-Oak.