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"This edition is limited to five hundred sets of which this is No. 8." With an 1839 Wordsworth ALS to T. N. Talfourd, regarding copyright. Ten volumes; 6 inches x 8 7/8 in., half-title; two page, Wordsworth autograph letter signed, mounted on a paper tab and bound in the first volume; photographic frontispiece, portrait in two forms: colored and monochrome; titlepage in red & black, with vignette. Illustrated with 66 photogravures in monochrome; each is accompanied by a hand-colored form of the plate, with titled tissue guards. Most pages are unopened. This appears to be one of a small number of low numbered sets in full leather, with the plates in two forms, and most likely, the Wordsworth ALS added by the publisher. Bound in full, dark green morocco leather, by The Riverside Press, with their stamp; five raised bands on the spines, gilt titles, gilt floral designs on the spine and covers, doublures in darker green morocco, with simple gilt borders, dark green, watered silk endpapers, green silk bookmarker ribbons bound in, and top-edges gilt. The spines show typical fading of the green leather to brown, light fading to cover edges. With the bookplates of Cleveland, Ohio-based book collector, William G. Mather (1857-1951) on the endpapers. A fine set with the plates in two states, and a two-page Wordsworth letter bound in. Wordsworth letters are uncommon. The two pages, 7 1/4 in. x 9 in. Wordsworth letter is written on a light blue paper, and the lower and fore-edges have been folded so it fits in the book. It shows two postmarks on the back: Free 13 AP 1839; Bath AP 11 [1839], and a small red wax seal. The letter shows a chip to the fore-edge of the second page, some light wear, and dusting. It is addressed to Thomas Noon Talfourd, and regards the issue of Copyright that Talfourd and others were involved in during the 1830's-'40's. [Partial contents]: My dear Sergeant Talfourd Your Letter just received I am mortified not a little that you should have had so much trouble and made such a sacrifice-to meet so unworthy a House of Commons. That can be tolerant of the heartlessness and injustice of that assembly is what vexes me most in the whole business- I entirely approve of the Publication you meditate -only by selecting two or three petitions you [-] offend some of those Authors to whom the little distinction was not paid-I therefore submit whether it would be advisable to print any of them.-- As a fact connected with my own case, I will mention that in the year 1805- I concluded a long Poem [The Prelude] upon the formation of my own mind; part of which you saw in MS when I had the pleasure of a [-] visit from you at Rydal. That book still [-] in MS. Its publication has [-] been prevented mainly by the personal character of [-] it. Had it been published as soon as it was finished the Copyright would long since have expired in case of my decease. Now, I do honestly believe [-] that Poem is given to the world before twenty-eight years had elapsed after the composition would scarcely have paid its own expenses. Were it published now, in the [-] and of such reputation as I have acquired I have reason to believe that [-] the proposed form it would be respectable- and my posterity, even as the law now is, would [-] by the delay- but in the other case neither they, nor I would have got a farthing from it. if my life had not been prolonged. The profit such as it might be would all have gone to Printers and Publishers, I would of course [-] would have allowed me to be in Town before the Bill comes on again. With best wishes I remain affectionately your much obliged Friend [signed]: William Wordsworth If you should see Mr. Milnes [-] tell him [-] much gratified in learning that he had [-] of your Yorkshire [-]. April 11th 10 George St. Mr. Sergeant Talfourd Russell Square London.". Seller Inventory # MM-34.
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