Poems. (Privately Printed.): First Trial Book (Fitzwilliam Museum, early proof)
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Production Description
Document Title: Poems. (Privately Printed)
Author: Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Printer: Strangeways and Walden
City of publication: London
Date of publication: 1869 September 30 (21 September - 2 October)
Pagination: [1]-[14]
Authorization: DGR
Note on Publication: These are an integral set of an early proof of the first trial book. As the cover note by Charles Fairfax Murray
indicates, the proof was given to him by Mrs. Morris (and subsequently bequeathed to the Fitzwilliam by Murray).
Corrector: DGR
Provenance
Current Location: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Note: Acquired by the library in October 1917 by bequest of Charles Fairfax
Murray; previously owned by Jane Morris.
Physical Description
Point: 8 point
Dimensions of Document: crown octavo, 18.2 x 12 cm
Bibliography
- Burnett,
The Ashley Catalogue, I. 71-72.
- Fraser, “The Rossetti Collection of Janet Camp Troxell”, 162.
- Lewis,
The Trial Book Fallacy, 186.
- Troxell, “The Trial Books”, 184-185.
- Wise,
The Ashley Library, VIII. 171-176.
Electronic Archive Edition: 1
page images | transcript
Scholarly Commentary
Introduction
This is an integral copy, with DGR's corrections, of the 14-page proof that he had printed off just prior to the printing of the First Trial Book in early October 1869. Lewis calls it Proof State 5. It contains the poems, “ Troy Town” and “ Eden Bower”, which DGR had completed shortly before this proof was pulled between 21 September and 2 October 1869. Another copy of this proof is bound into William Bell Scott's copy of the Penkill Proofs.
Printing History
The First Trial Book is the fourth integral set of prepublication printings toward the work that would eventually appear as the Poems of 1870. Its printing in its first state was completed on or just before 3 October, but revisions made therein were quickly incoporated into the second state.