Poems.: [together with] Italy, a Poem.

London: T. Cadell, Jennings and Chaplin, and E. Moxon; T. Cadell and E. Moxon,, 1834 & 1830. Handsomely bound presentation copy First illustrated edition of the Poems, presentation copy, inscribed in Roger's hand "from the Author" on a front binder's blank, together with the first complete and illustrated edition of his longest poem Italy, both with engravings from designs by William Turner and Thomas Stothard. These copies are in a superb gilt binding by Riviere and Sons. Rogers visited Italy for the first time in 1814, and it was during this trip that he envisioned the concept for his famous poem. The first edition – part I published in 1821 and part II in 1828 – was not well received; therefore, Rogers engaged Stothard and Turner to illustrate a new luxury publication (the present one), regarded as "one of the outstanding examples of the illustrated book in the first half of the nineteenth century" (ODNB). Stothard's figure scenes in this volume are considered "perhaps the climax" of his illustration, and Turner's landscapes are "his first outstanding success with steel... The success of Italy persuaded Rogers to undertake a similar costly edition of his Poems which was published in 1834 with thirty-three vignettes after Turner. Turner - himself a writer of poetry and clearly very sympathetic to that of Samuel Rogers - created some of his most telling images for these two beautiful books, which established him as the leading illustrator of the day" (ibid). Two works, small quarto (204 x 132 mm). Early 20th-century green morocco by Riviere & Son for H. Sotheran, spines with raised bands, gilt lettering and floral decoration in compartments, covers panelled in gilt, inner frame with floral cornerpieces, oval foliate centrepieces, outer edges and turn-ins richly gilt, top edges gilt, others uncut. Housed in custom marbled cloth slipcases. Both volumes with engraved vignettes from designs by Turner and Stothard throughout. Armorial bookplate of Henry David Leonard George Walston, Baron Walston (1912-1991), British agricultural researcher and politician, with manuscript initials J. S., to front pastedowns. Spines very slightly toned, some offsetting from the illustrations, occasional marks to contents, but generally clean. A near-fine set, sharp and well-margined.