QUEEN MAB; A PHILOSOPHICAL POEM: WITH NOTES by Shelley, Percy B - 1813

London: Printed by P.B. Shelley, 1813. [4],240pp. Octavo. Handsome full medium brown crushed levant, with decorative side panels ruled in gilt, blind and black with enclosed ornaments, five raised bands with similar decoration to compartments, a.e.g., by Bumpus. Light but persistent foxing and some old corner creases, a few very small blind impressions to lower cover, but a very good copy. Half morocco slipcase and chemise. First edition of Shelley's first poem of considerable length, composed between the years 1809 and 1813, attended by copious prose explanatory notes. Because of its reflection of many of Shelley's more progressive views, the publication of QUEEN MAB was private. and it is thought the edition consisted of 250 copies hors commerce. To diminish the prospect of prosecution, Shelley elected to extract the dedication, and cut away the title imprint and the printer's imprint on the final leaf in those copies he distributed. While earlier generations of collectors and dealers heralded the unmutilated copies as the exception, it is now clear that in fact only a minority portion of the edition was subjected to that action, perhaps 70 of the 250 copies. It was not reprinted until 1821, when a piracy landed its perpetrator in jail, and prompted the great displeasure of the author. HAYWARD 225. GRANNIS 15. TINKER 1887. WISE, pp.39-40.