Atalanta in Calydon, Algernon Charles Swinburne — 2nd Edition

£80.00

Atalanta in Calydon, Algernon Charles Swinburne — 2nd Edition

Name: Atalanta in Calydon, Algernon Charles Swinburne — 2nd Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 5582
Price: 80.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Edward Moxon & Co., 1865

Formatting: 8vo, pp. xiv, 130.

Condition Report: Very Good. The book maintains its structural integrity with a tight, square binding, and while it shows signs of careful use and storage, there are no major flaws to its construction. The original blue cloth boards remain relatively clean, exhibiting only minor shelf wear, slight rubbing to the spine ends and corners, and a few faint surface scratches on the front cover. The gilt lettering on the spine remains entirely legible and unoxidised. Internally, the text block is sound; however, typical of paper stock from this era, there is scattered light to moderate foxing, most prominently on the preliminary leaves, along with minor age-toning to the edges. The majority of the pages remain clean and highly readable.

Catalogue Note: This is the early and important second edition (frequently catalogued as foolscap octavo) of Swinburne's breakthrough work. While the true first edition was issued earlier the same year in a severely limited quarto run of just 100 copies, famously bound in cream buckram with roundels designed by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, this more accessible small octavo edition was swiftly produced in blue cloth to satisfy the immense public demand generated by the tragedy’s critical success.

The volume features a standard contemporary ink ownership inscription on the half-title page, dated "Oct 18. 1877". A newspaper clipping bearing a later Swinburne sonnet (titled "1901") has been loosely laid in by a previous owner.

While the celebrated Rossetti-bound first edition commands a high premium in the antiquarian market, this original cloth-bound second edition remains an uncommonly seen and desirable early printing, representing the format in which the wider Victorian public first encountered Swinburne's genius.

Atalanta in Calydon is the brilliant poetic drama that firmly established Algernon Charles Swinburne as one of the most formidable literary voices of the Victorian era. Modelled closely on ancient Greek tragedy, the play retells the mythological story of the Calydonian Boar Hunt and the tragic, inescapable fate of Meleager. Renowned for its lush, rhythmic verse and its bold, rebellious energy against orthodox Victorian moral conventions, the work contains some of Swinburne's most magnificent choral interludes, most notably the sweeping 'Hymn to Artemis'. It remains a masterpiece of English lyric poetry and a foundational text of the Aesthetic movement.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Algernon Charles Swinburne

Book Publisher: Edward Moxon & Co.

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Poetry

Book edition: Second Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 144

Book Publication Year: 1865

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.