Alfred Tennyson — Idylls of the King

London, Strahan and Co. Publishers, 1869. Leather. A smart edition of Tennyson's cycle of narrative poems, the Idylls of the King. A cycle of twelve narrative poems which retell the legend of King Arthur and the rise and fall of his kingdom. The whole work recounts Arthur's failed attempt to create a perfect kingdom, from his coming to power to his death at the hands of the traitor Mordred. Individual poems detail the deeds of various knights, including Lancelot. This edition contains the first set of Idylls, "Enid", "Vivien", "Elaine", and "Guinevere", which were originally published in 1859. Written by Alfred Lord Tennyson, an English poet who was Poet Laureate for much of Queen Victoria's reign. Bound in full blue calf. Externally, smart with light shelf wear and marks to the boards. Light fading to the spine. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very bright and clean with the odd spot. Contemporary ink inscription to the front endpaper dated 1891. Very Good . Ill.: None. Very Good .