Alexander Pope — The Rape of the Lock

London, Leonard Smithers, 1896 . First edition. Cloth. Beautifully illustrated with plates by Aubrey Beardsley, this is the second state of the first Aubrey Beardsley edition of Alexander Pope's highly amusing narrative poem. The first edition, ordinary issue, second state of Aubrey Beardsley's illustrated edition of Alexander Pope's mock-heroic poem.The second state with '& co' to back strip tail, denoting that this edition is limited to 500 unnumbered copies.Illustrated with a frontispiece, six plates, and two vignette illustrations by illustrator Aubrey Beardsley, an important figure in the aesthetic movement. Collated, complete.A wonderful edition of Pope's mock-heroic narrative poem, following a would-be suitor who cuts off a lock of a young woman's hair without her permission. In the publisher's original highly decorative cloth binding. Boards bright, with bumping to back strip head and tail. Front hinge strained, but firmly held. Small tape repair to head of front free endpaper. Internally, firmly bound. Pages lightly age toned, with light spotting throughout. Very Good . Ill.: Aubrey Beardsley. Very Good .