John Milton — Comus: A Mask

London, George Routledge & Co. 1858. Cloth. A smart illustrated copy of the masque originally performed at Ludlow Castle to celebrate the Lord President of Wales in 1634. An illustrated edition of this work.With a monochrome frontispiece and large vignettes throughout. In the publisher's original cloth binding.The plot follows two brothers and their sister as they encounter the Comus, a character inspired by the god of revelry. Themes at the forefront involve self-indulgence, freewill and overcoming temptation. This work was performed as a masque at Ludlow Castle to celebrate John Egerton's new post as Lord President of Wales in 1634. In the original cloth binding. Externally, smart. Rubbing and bumping to the extremities and fading to the spine. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are generally bright with scattered spots to the first and last few leaves, with the odd spot throughout. Contemporary ink inscription to the recto of front free endpaper. Tide marks affecting the pages of the first half. Very Good . Ill.: Pickersgill; Corbould; Birket Foster; Harrison Weir. Very Good .