Leigh Hunt — Stories in Verse

London, Geo. Routledge & Co. 1855. First edition. Cloth. The first edition of a complete collection of mythological and biblical narrative poems by the Romantic intellectual, with the bookplate of historian George Prothero to the front pastedown. The first edition of Stories in Verse, a collection of charming narrative poems and the final work of English essayist and poet Leigh Hunt.  In the publisher's decorative original blue cloth, with a leaf of publisher's original advertisements bound before the half-title. Contains a frontispiece and title vignette by prolific British artist Henry Corbould. Contains the bookplate of English historian George Prothero to the front pastedown, who served as the President of the Royal Historical Society from 1901-1905. Inspired by both biblical and mythological tales, Hunt offers a complete collection of his narrative poems for readers to enjoy, including an insightful preface behind his inspirations and how this collection came to fruition. Hunt was best known for co-founding the radical intellectual journal The Examiner, and his criticism of the Prince Regent within led to two years imprisonment for Libel. Hunt was a leading figure of a Hampstead literary circle which included Hazlitt and Lamb, and was critical to introducing the works of Keats and Shelley to the public. In the publisher's decorative original blue cloth, with a leaf of publisher's original advertisements bound before the half-title. Externally, mostly smart, with a couple of faint marks to boards. Slight splitting to front joint and head of rear joint. Bumping to the head and tail of the spine, with minor loss to cloth, and to the extremities. A faint crack to head of front end paper hinge and a small chip to bottom edge of front free end paper. Bookplate of Prothero to front pastedown, and previous owner's ink inscription to front free end paper. Internally, gutters visible to the odd hinge otherwise firmly bound. Pages are mostly bright and clean, with minor age toning to leaf extremities and a couple of faint spots to the final leaf. Good . Ill.: Henry Corbould. Good .