Poems of William Wordsworth (1866) | Illustrated by Burkett & Dalziel Brothers

A striking illustrated Victorian edition of William Wordsworth published in 1866 by George Routledge and Sons. Bound in the original navy blue cloth, this volume features elaborate gilt stamping to the upper board and spine with floral and foliate motifs, blind-stamped decoration to the rear board, beveled board edges, and gilt page edges.

This edition is richly illustrated throughout, with a finely engraved frontispiece and numerous additional wood engravings after designs by Birket Foster, J. Wolf, and John Gilbert, engraved by the celebrated Dalziel Brothers. The illustrations capture the pastoral landscapes, rural figures, birds, and scenes drawn directly from Wordsworth’s poetry, including The Solitary Reaper, The Deserted Cottage, An Evening Walk, and The Blind Highland Boy.

The text is selected and edited by Robert Aris Willmott and presents Wordsworth’s most enduring poems in a format intended as both a literary and visual experience. A striking example of mid-19th-century gift-book production, equally suited to a collector of Romantic literature or Victorian illustrated books.

Binding tight/sound. Clean pages; scattered light foxing with age toning.388pp.

Condition: Very Good ++

Size: 9” × 7” 

A strong collector’s copy, valued for its richly illustrated presentation and the high level of decorative craftsmanship associated with Routledge’s finest Victorian editions.