Joan of Arc: An Epic Poem | Robert Southey | Fourth Edition | 1812 | Two Volumes

London: Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, Paternoster-Row, 1812. Fourth Edition.

A handsome early nineteenth-century edition of Robert Southey’s Joan of Arc, his celebrated epic poem inspired by the life of the Maid of Orléans. First published in 1796, the work was composed during Southey’s youth and underwent substantial revision in subsequent editions. This fourth edition was published in 1812, the year before Southey was appointed Poet Laureate.

Complete in two volumes, the set is beautifully bound in contemporary half calf over marbled paper-covered boards, with leather corners. The spines are richly decorated in gilt with floral and foliate devices, gilt rules, volume numbers and contrasting dark bands. The marbled boards display a striking pattern in shades of brown, cream and ochre with touches of black.

Volume I contains an engraved frontispiece of Joan of Arc captioned “The Maid of Orleans.” The poem is arranged in ten books across the two volumes and accompanied by extensive notes; Volume II additionally includes The Vision of the Maid of Orleans. Volume I contains 257 pages and Volume II 269 pages. Each volume measures approximately 4” x 6 1/2”.

An engraved armorial bookplate bearing the name John Wild appears at the front of both volumes, adding an early provenance element to the set. An early ink inscription or ownership flourish is also present on the title pages.

Robert Southey (1774–1843) was an important figure of the English Romantic movement and one of the writers associated with the Lake Poets alongside William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He was appointed Poet Laureate in 1813 and held the position until his death in 1843.

Condition: Very Good+

The contemporary bindings show very light/minor age-related rubbing/wear. The gilt decoration remains notably attractive, and the marbled boards retain strong color and pattern. Internally, the volumes show age toning in prelims.. Early ink inscriptions or flourishes are present on the title pages. 

A beautifully bound and scarce complete two-volume Romantic-era edition of Southey’s Joan of Arc, preserved in its contemporary half-calf bindings.