POEMS

London: Edward Moxon, 1844. Two volumes uniformly bound. Top edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Inner dentelles with some off-setting onto free endpapers. Covers bordered with three-line fillets and corner rosettes. Spines lettered in gilt. Covers lightly scuffed with mild corner and spine extremity wear. Spines are darkened as is the top 2" of front cover to Volume ll. Bound without half-titles and 8-page advertisement in Volume l. Book-plate of Major Bryan Palmes on front pastedown of both volumes. Palmes (1851-1930) was a member of an old English family who resided at Noburn Hall in York. He was a friend of James Conrad, retired from the Somerset Light Infantry in 1891 with rank of Major. These poems were written after the publication of "Seraphim" and with the exception of a few contributuons to English and American periodicals, are printed here for the first time. The first poem, "Drama of Exile" was the longest and considered by Miss Barrett as the most important poem published up to that time. Robert Browning read her "Poems", wrote her a letter telling her how much he enjoyed them. They were secretly married soon thereafter. These two volumes both have first issue points. Volume l on p.141 has "Let the flood of your salt scorn dash on me". Volume ll has p.163 properly numbered and does not contain "The End" on p.175. A rather scarce and early group of poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861). There are 65 libraries world-wide holding this two-volume set. A total of 17 copies have been sold at auction over the past 35 years acording to ABPC, the last two selling for $2750 and $2000. See Barnes A5 and Haywood 239. 250-275pp.. First Edition, First Issue.. Full Tan Morocco. Light Edgewear/No Jacket. 7" x 4 1/4".