The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley: Edited by Mrs. Shelley. (Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley) SHELLEY, Percy Bysshe

First authorised edition in 4 volumes. Published by Edward Moxon 1839. Portrait frontis piece to volume 1. Original publishers blind stamped red cloth lettered in gilt on spines. All original yellow endpapers, name in ink on first free e.p. Slight wear to tops of spines and extremities slightly rubbed. Some minor professional restoration to the spine crowns and feet. Overall very good copies. Scarce in the original publisher s cloth. Now housed in a custom slipcase. A lovely set. First edition of Mary Shelley s important edition of her husband s poetical works, After Shelley s death in 1822, Mary Shelley devoted herself to publishing his manuscripts and writing his biography. She first attempted to publish Shelley s poems in 1824, but his father, Sir Timothy Shelley, prevented further publication of Shelley s writings for fifteen years. In 1839, the obstacles to an authentic edition having been removed Mrs. Shelley published what was then supposed to be a definitive edition in four volumes, enriched with biographical notes and some very beautiful lyrics which had remained in manuscript (DNB). With engraved frontispiece portrait of Shelley by Finden. With all half titles. Lowndes, 2374. CBEL III:213.