A NOTE BY WILLIAM MORRIS ON HIS
AIMS IN FOUNDINGTHE KELIVISCOTT
PRESS fl TOGETHER WITH A SHORT
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESS BYS. C.
COCKERE LL, 8: AN ANNOTATED LIST
OF THE BOOKS PRINTED THEREAT.

 

 

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A NOTE BY WILLIAM MORRIS ON HIS
AIMSINFOUNDINGTHE KELMSCOTT
PRESS fl TOGETHER WITH A SHORT
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESS BY S. C.
COCKERELL, 8: AN ANNOTATED LIST
OF THE BOOKS PRINTED THEREAT.

   
   
       

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,'.-' NOTE BY WILLIAM MORRIS
ON HIS AIMS IN FOUNDING

BEGAN printing books with
" ‘ thehopeofproducingsomewhich
would have a definite claim to
beauty, while at the same time
they should be easy to read and
° m should not dazzlethe eye, ortrouz
ble the intellect of the reader by eccentriz
city of form in the letters. I have always
been a great admirer of the calligraphy of
a I the Middle Ages, 8C of the earlierprinting
’ which took its place. As to the fifteenth,
century books, I had noticed that they
were always beautiful by force of the mere
' typography, even without the added or,
nament, with which many of them are
so lavishly supplied. And it was the es;
sence ofmy undertakingto producebooks
which it would beapleasure to look upon (3,
as pieces of printing and arrangement of
type. Looking at my adventure from this _
point of View then, I found I had to con,
sider chiefly the following things: the _
paper, the form of the type, the relative '
spacing of the letters, the words, and the I

5 MA

 
 
  

'

   

   

 

lines; and lastly the position of the printed matter
on the page.
It was a matter of course that I should consider
it necessary that the paper should be hand/made,
both for the sake of durability and appearance.
It would be a very false economy to stint in the
uality of the aper as to price: so I had only to
t ink about t e kind of hand/made paper. On
this head I came to two conclusions: tst, that the
paper must be wholly of linen (most hand/made
papers are of cotton today), and must be quite
‘hard,’ i.e., thoroughly well sized; and 2nd, that,
though it must be‘laid’ and not‘ wove’ (i.e.,made
on a mould made of obvious wires), the lines
caused by the wires of the mould must not be too
strong, so as to give a ribbed appearance. I found
that on these points I was at one with the practice
of the papermakers of the fifteenth century; so I
took as m model a Bolognese paper of about
1473. My riend Mr. Batchelor, of Little Chart,
Kent, carried out my views very satisfactorily, 86
produced from the first the excellent paper which
still use.
Next as to type. By instinct rather than by con,
scious thinking it over, I began by getting myself
a fount of Roman type. And here what I wanted
was letter pure in form; severe, without needless
excrescences; solid, without the thickening and
thinning oftheline,which is the essential fault of
the ordinary modern type, and which makes it
2

.MQ

«z

WM{difl‘icult to read; and not compressed laterally, as

i all later type has rown to be owing to commerz

cial extgencres. T ere was only one source from
which to take examples of this perfected Roman
type, to wit, the works of the great Venetian print,
ers of the fifteenth century, of whom Nicholas
Jenson produced the completest fit most Roman
characters from 1470 to 1476. This type I studied
with much care, getting it photographed to a big
scale, 8C drawingit over many times before I began
designing my own letter; so that though Ithink I
mastered the essence of it, I did not copy it sera
vilely; in fact, my Roman type, especially in the
lower case, tends rather more to the Gothic than
doesJenson’s.

After a while I felt that I must have a Gothic as
well as a Roman fount; and herein the taSk I set
myself was to redeem the Gothic character from
the charge of unreadableness which is commonly
brought against it. And I felt that this charge could
not be reasonably brought against the types of
the first two decades of printing: that Schoeffer
at Mainz, Mentelin at Strasburg, and Gunther
Zainer at Augsburg, avoided the spiky ends and
undue compression which lay some of the later
type open to the above charge. Only the earlier
printers (naturally following therein the practice
of their predecessors the scribes) were very liberal
of contractions, and used an excess of ‘ tied’ letters,
which, by the way, are very useful to the com;

b2 3

positor. So I entirely eschewed contractions, ex,
cept for the ‘8C,’ and had very few tied letters, in
factnonebuttheabsolutelynecessaryones.Kee I
ing my end steadily in view, I designed a blacfi
letter type which I think I may claim to be as read,
able as a Roman one, and to say the truth I prefer
it to the Roman. This type is ofthe' size called
Great Primer (the Roman type is of ‘English’
size) ; but later on Iwas driven by the necessities
of the Chaucer (a doublezcolumned book) to get
a smaller Gothic ty e of Pica size.

The punches for al these types, I may mention,
were cut for me with great intelligence and skill
by Mr. E. P. Prince, and render my designs most
satisfactoril .

Now as to t e spacin g:F irst, the ‘ face’ of the letter
should be as nearly conterminous with the ‘body’
as possible, so as to avoid undue whites between
the letters. Next, the lateral spaces between the
words should be (a) no more than is necessary to
distinguish clearly the division into words, and
(b) should be as nearly equal as possible. Modern
printers, even the best, pay very little heed to these
two essentials ofseemly composition, and the in;
ferior ones run riot in licentious spacing, thereby
producing, inter alia, those ugly rivers of lines run;
ning about the age which are such ablemish to dez
cent rinting.Erhirdfihewhitesbetweenthelines
shou d not be excessive; the modern practice of
‘leading’ should be used as little as possible, and

4

I

neverwithout some definite reason, such as mark,
ing some special piece of printing. The only lead,
ing I have allowed myself is in some casesa‘thin’
lead between the lines of my Gothic pica type: in
the Chaucer and the double’columned books I
have used a ‘hair’ lead, and not even this in the
16mo books. Lastly, but by no meansleast, comes
the position of the printed matter on the page.
This should always leave the inner margin the
narrowest, the top somewhat wider, the outside
(forezedge) wider still, and the bottom widest of
all. This rule is never departed from in medixval
books, written or printed. Modern printers sys/
tematically transgress against it; thus apparently
contradicting the fact that the unit of abook is not
one page, but a pair of pages. A friend, the libra,
rian of one of our most important private libraries,
tells me that after careful testing he has come to
the conclusion that the mediaeval rule was to make
a difference of 20 per cent. from margin to mar;
gin. Now these matters of spacing and position
are of the greatest importance in the production
of beautifulbooks ; if they are properly considered
they will make a book printed in quite ordinary
type at least decent and pleasant to the eye. The
disregard of them will spoil the efiect of the best
designed type.

It was only natural that I, a decorator by profes’
sion, should attempt to ornament mybooks suit,
ably: about this matter, I will only say that I have

5

always tried to keep in mind the necessity for
making my decoration a part of the page of type.
I may add that in designing the magnificent and
inimitable woodcuts which have adorned several
of my books, and will above all adorn the Chaucer
which is now drawin near completion, my friend
Sir Edward Burnezfones has never lost sight of
this important point, so that his work will not only
give us a series of most beautiful andimaginative
pictures, but form the most harmonious decoraz
tion possible to the printed book.

Kelmscott House, Upper Mall, Hammersmith.
Nov.u,1895.

A SHORT HISTORY AND DESCRIP,
TION OF THE KELMSCOTT PRESS.
The foregoin article was Written at the request
of a London ookseller for an American client
who was about to read a paper on the Kelmscott
Press. As the Press is now closing, and its seven
years’ existence will soon be a matter of history,
it seems fitting to set down some other facts con;
cerning it while they can still be verified ; the more
so as statements founded on imperfect informaa
tion have appeared from time to time in news,
papers and reviews.

As early as 1866 an edition of The Earthly Para;
disc was projected, which was to have been a folio
in double columns, profusely illustrated by Sir
Edward Burne/Jones, and typographicallysupe’
rior to the books of that time. The designs for the
stories of Cypid and Psyche, Pygmalion and the
Image, The Ring given to Venus, and The Hill of
Venus, were finished, and forty/four of those for
Cupid and Psychewere engraved on woodin line,
somewhat in the manner of the early German
masters. About thirt five of the blocks were exe/
cuted by William orris himself, 8: the remain,
der b George YWardIe, G. F. Campfield, C.}.
Paul ner, and Miss Elizabeth Burden.Specimen
pages were set up in Caslon type, and in the Chis,
wick Press type afterwards used in The House of
the Wolfings, but for various reasons the project
went no further. Four or five years later there was a

7

plan for an illustrated edition of Love is Enough,
for which two initial L’s and seven side ornaments
were drawn 8C engraved by William Morris. An;
other marginal ornament was engraved by him
from a design bySirE .BurnezJ ones,who also drew
a picture for the frontispiece, which has now been
engraved by W. H. Hooper for the final page of
the Kelmscott Press edition of the work. These
side ornaments, three of which appear on the op,
posite page, are more delicate than any that were
designed for the Kelmscott Press, but they show
that when the Press was started the idea of reviv;
ing some of the decorative features of the earliest
printed books had been Ion gin its founder’s mind.
At this same period, in the early seventies, he was
much absorbed in the study of ancient manu,
scripts, 8C in writing out and illuminating various
books, including a Horace and an Omar Khay/
yam,which may have led his thoughts away from
printin . In any case, the plan of an illustrated
Loveis nough,likethatofthefolioEarthlyPara’
dise,was abandoned.

Although the books written by William Morris
continued to be reasonably printed, it was not unz
til about 1888 thathe again paid much attention to
typography. Hewas then, 86 forthe rest of his life,
when not away from Hammersmith,in dail com,
munication with his friend and neighbour mery
Walker,whoseviews on the subject coincided with
his own, and who had besides a practical know;

8

 

Ornaments designed and engraved for Loveis Enough.
9

ledge of the technique of printing. These views
were first expressed in an article by Mr. Walker
in the catalogue of the exhibition of the Arts and
Crafts Exhibition Society,held at the New Gal;
lery in the autumn of 1888. As a result of many
conversations, The House of the Wolfings was
printed at the Chiswick Press at this time, with a
special type modelled on an old Basel fount, unz
leaded,and with due regard to proportion in the
margins.The title/page was also carefully arran g,
ed. Inthe following year The Roots of the Mounz
tains was printed with the same type (except the
lower case e), but with a differently proportioned
page, &with shoulder/notes instead of headlines.
This book was published in November, 1889, 86
its author declared it to be the best/looking book
issued since the seventeenth century. Instead of
large paper copies, which had been found unsat’
isfactory in the case of The House of the Wolf;
ings,two hundred and fifty copies were printed on
Whatman paper of about the same size as the
paper of the ordinary copies. A small stock of this
paper remained over, and in order to dispose of it
seventy/five copies of the translation of the Gunn/
lau g Saga, which first appeared in the Fortnightly
Review ofJanuary, 1869, and afterwards in Three
Northern Love Stories, were printed at the Chis;
wick Press. The type used was a black/letter co,
pied from one of Caxton’ s founts, and the initials
were leftblank to be rubricated byhand. Three co;
IO

pies were printed on vellum. This little bookwas
not however finished until November, 1890.
Meanwhile William Morris had resolved to de/
sign a type of his own. Immediately after The
Roots of the Mountains appeared,he set to work
upon it, and in December, 1889, he asked Mr.
Walker to go into partnership with him as a
printer. This offer was declined by Mr. Walker;
but, though not concerned with the financial side
of the enterprise, he was virtually a partner in the
Kelmscott Press from its first beginnings to its
end, and no important step was taken without his
advice 81: approval. Indeed,the original intention
was to have the books set up in Hammersmith
and printed at his office in Clifford’s Inn.
Itwas atthis time that William Morris began to
collect the mediaeval books of which he formed so
fine a library in the next six years. He had made
a small collection of such books years before, but
had parted with most of them,to his great regret.
He now bought with the definite purpose of
studyingthe type 86 methods of the early printers.
mong the first books so acquired was a copy of
Leonard ofAreZZO’s History of Florence, printed
at Venice byJacobus Rubeus in 1476, in a Roman
type very similar to that of N icholasjenson. Parts
of this bookand ofJenson’s Pliny of 1476 were
enlarged by photography in order to bring out
more clearly the characteristics of the various let,
ters ; and having mastered both their virtues and
11

defects, William Morris proceeded to design the
fount of type which, in the list of December, 18 2,
he named the Golden type, fromThe Golden e»
gend,whichwas to havebeen the firstbook printed
with it. This fount consists of eighty/one designs,
including stops, figures, 8C tied letters. The lower
case alphabet was finished in a few months. The
first letter havingbeen cut in Great Primer size by
Mr. Prince, was thought too large, and ‘ English’
was the size resolved upon. By the middle of Au,
gust, 1890, eleven punches had been cut. At the
end of the year the fount was all but complete.
On]an.12th, 1891,a cotta e, No.16, Upper Mall,
was taken. Mr. William owden, a retired mas;
teraprinter,had already been engaged to act as com;
positor and pressman. Enough type was then cast
for a trial page, which was set up and printed on
SaturdayJan. gist, on a sample of the paper that
was being made for the Press by]. Batchelor and
Son. About a fortnight later ten reams of paper
were delivered. On Feb. 18th a good supply of type
followed. Mr.W. H. Bowden,who subsequently
became overseer,thenjoined his father as com osia
tor, and the first chapters of The Glittering lain
were set up. The first sheet appears to have been
printed on March 2nd,when the staif was increas’
ed to three by the addition of a pressman named
Giles,who left as soon as the book was finished.
A friend who saw William Morris on the day

after the printing of the page above mentioned
12

recalls his elation at the success of his new type.
The first volume of the Saga Library, a creditable
piece of printing, was brought out and put beside
this trial page, which much more than held its
own.The poet then declared hisintention to set to
work immediately on ablackzletter fount; illness,
however, intervened 86 it was not begun tillJune.
The lower case alphabet was finished by the be,
ginning of August, with the exception of the tied
letters, the designs for which, with those for the
capitals, were sent to Mr. Prince on September
11th. Early in November enough type was cast for
two trial pages, the one consisting of twenty/six
lines of Chaucer’s Franklin's Tale and the other
of sixteen lines of Sigurd the Volsung. In each of
these a capital I is used thatwas immediately dis,
carded. On the last day of 1891 the full stock of
Troy type was despatched from the foundry. Its
first appearance was in a paragraph, announcing
the book from which it took its name, in the list
dated May, 1892.

This Troy type, which its designer preferred to
either of the others, shows the influence of the
beautiful earlytypes of Peter Schoefier of Mainz,
Gunther Zainer of Augsburg, 86 Anthony Koz
burger of Nuremberg; but, even more than the
Golden type, it has a strong character of its own,
which differs largely from that of any mediaeval
fount. It has recently been pirated abroad, and is
advertised by an enterprising German firm as

13

‘ Die amerikanische Triumph’Gothisch.’ The
Golden type has perhaps fared worse in being re,
modelledin the United States,whence,with much
of its character lost, it has found its way back to
England under the names ‘ Venetian,’ ‘ Italian,’ 85
‘Jenson.’ It is strange that no one has yet had the
good sense to have the actual type ofNicholasJ en;
son reproduced.

The third type used atthe Kelmscott Press, called
the ‘ Chaucer,’ differs from the Troy type only in
size, being Picainstead of Great Primer. It was cut
by Mr. Prince between February and May, 1892,
86 was ready injune. Its first appearance is in the
list of chapters and glossary of The Recuyell of
the Historyes of Troye, which was issued on No;
vember 24th,1892.

On June 2nd of that year,William Morris wrote
to Mr. Prince:‘I believe in about three months’
time I shall be read with anew set of sketches for
a fount of type on nglish bod .’ These sketches
were not forthcoming; but on ov. 5th,1892, he
bought a copy of Augustinus De Civitate Dei,
printed at the Monastery of Subiaco near Rome
by Sweynheym 8C Pannartz, with a rather com,
pressed type, which appears in only three known
books. He at once designed a lower case alphabet
on this model, but was not satisfied with it 86 did
not have it cut. This was hislast actual experiment
in the designing of type, though he sometimes
talked of designing a new fount, 8C of having the

14

 

Golden type cut in a larger size.

Next in importance to the type are the initials,
borders, 8C ornaments designed by William Morz
ris. The first book contains a single recto border
and twenty different initials. In the next book,
Poems by the Way, the number of different ini;
tials is fifty/nine. These early initials, many of
which were soon discarded, are for the most part
suggestive, like the first border, of the ornament
in Italian manuscripts of the fifteenth century. In
Blunt’s Love Lyrics there are seven letters of a
new alphabet, with backgrounds of naturalesque
grapes and vineleaves, the result of avisit to Beau;
vais,where the greatporches are carved with vines,
in August, 1891. From that time onwards fresh
designswere constantlyadded, the tendencybeing
always towards larger foliage and lighter back,
grounds, as the early initials were found to be
sometimes too dark for the type. The total num/
ber of initials of various sizes designed for the
Kelmscott Press, including a few that were en,
graved but never used, is three hundred 8C eighty,
four. Of the letter T alone there are no less than
thirty/four varieties.

The total number of difierentborders engraved for
the Press, including one thatwas not used, but ex,
cludingthe three borders designed for The E arth/
ly Paradise by R. Cattersonszith, is fifty/seven.
The first book to contain a marginal ornament,
other than these full borders, was The Defence

15

of Guenevere, which has a halfzborder on p. 74.
There are two others in the preface toThe Golden
Legend.The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye
is the first book in which there is a profusion of
such ornament. One hundred and eight different
designs for marginal ornaments were engraved.

Besides the above/named designs,there are seven
frames for the pictures in The Glittering Plain,
one frame for those in a projected edition of The
House of the Wolfings, nineteen frames for the
pictures in the Chaucer (one of which was not used
in the book) , twenty/eight title/pages 8C inscripz
tions,twentyzsix large initialwords for the Chau,

cer, seven initial words forTheWell at theWorld’s
End and The Water of the Wondrous Isles, four
line/endings, and three printer’s marks,makin a
total of six hundred 8C forty/four designs by i1;
Iiam Morris, drawn and engraved within seven
years. All the initials 8C ornaments that recur were
printed from electrotypes, while most of the title;
pages and initial words were printed direct from
the wood.The illustrations by Sir Edward Burne;
Jones,WalterCrane,8£ C. M.Gere were also, with
one ortwo exceptions,printed from thewood.The
original designs by Sir E. Burner ones were near;
ly all in encil, 86 were redrawn in ink by R. Cat;
tersonz mith, and in a few cases by C. Fairfax
Murray; they were then revised by the artist and
transferred to the wood by means of photography.
The twelve designs by AJ. Gaskin for Spenser’s
16

She heardes Calender, the map in The Sunder,
ing lood,& the thirty’five reproductions inSome
GermanWoodcuts of the FifteenthCentury,were
printed from process blocks.

All the woodblocks for initials, ornaments, and i1;
lustrations, were engraved byW H. Hooper, C.
E. Keates, 86 W Spielmeyer, except the twenty;

M three blocks for The Glittering Plain,which were

engraved by A. Leverett, and a few of the earliest
initials, engraved by G. F. Campfield. The whole
ofthesewoodblocks have been sent to the British
Museum, and have been accepted with acondition
that they shall not be reproduced or printed from
for the space of a hundred years.The electrotypes
have been destroyed. In taking this course,-which
was sanctioned byWilliam Morris when the mat
terwas talked of shortly before his death,the aim of
the trustees has been to keep the series of Kelmscott
Press books as a thing apart, and toprevent the dc;
signs becoming stale by constant repetition.Many
of them have been stolen 8C parodied in America,
but in this country they are fortunately copyright.
The type remains in the hands ofthetrustees, and
willbe used for the printing of its designer’s works,
should special editions be called for.0therbooks of
which he would have approved may also be print,
ed with it; the absence of initials and ornament
will always distinguish them sufilciently from the
books printed at the Kelmscott Press.

The nature of the English handmade paper used

c 17

at the Press has been described by William Morz
ris in the foregoing article. It was at first supplied
in sheets of which the dimensions were sixteen
inches by eleven. Each sheet had as awatermarka
conventional primrose between the initialsW M.
As stated above, The Golden Legend was to have
been the first book put in hand, but as only two
pages could have been printed at a time, and this
would have made it very costly, paper of double
the size was ordered for this work, and The Story
of the Glittering Plain was begun instead. This
book is a small uarto, as are its five immediate
successors, each s eet being folded twice. Thelast
ream of the smaller size of paperwas used on The
Order of Chivalry. All the other volumes of that
series are printed in octavo, on paper of the double
size. For the Chaucer a stouter and slightly larger
paper was needed. This has for its watermark a
Perch with a sprayin its mouth. Many of thelarge
quarto books were printed on this paper, of which
the first two reams were delivered in February,
1893. Only one other size of paperwas used at the
Kelmscott Press. The watermark of this is an
Apple, with the initialsWM., as in the other two
watermarks.The books rinted on this paper are
The Earthly Paradise, he Floure and the Leafe,
The Shepheardes Calender, and Sigurd the Vol,
sung. The last/namedisafolio, and the open book
shows the size of the sheet, which is about eighz
teen inches by thirteen. The first supply of this
18

Apple paper was delivered on March 15, 1895.
Except in the case of Blunt’s Love Lyrics, The
Nature of Gothic,BibliaInnocentium,The Gold,
en Legend, and The Book of Wisdom 8C Lies, a
few copies of all the books were printed on vellum.
The six copies of The Glittering Plain were print,
ed on very fine vellum obtained from Rome, of
which it was impossible to get a second supply as
it was all required by the Vatican.The vellum for
the other books, except for two or three copies of
Poems by the Way, which were on the Roman
vellum, was supplied b H. Band of Brentford,
and byW.J.Turney8£ o.of Stourbridge.There
are three complete vellum sets in existence, and
the extreme difficulty of completingaset after the
copies are scattered, makes it unlikely that there
will ever be a fourth.
The black ink which proved most satisfactory,
after that of more than one English firm had been
tried, was obtained from Hanover.William M017
ris often spoke of making his own ink, in order to
be certain of the ingredients, but his intention was
never carried out.
The binding of the books in vellum and in half,
holland was from the first doneb J.&J.Leighton.
Most of the vellum used was white, or nearly so,
but William Morris himself preferred it dark, 86
the skins showing brown hair/marks were reserv;
ed for the binding of his own copies of the books.
The silk ties of four colours, red, blue, yellow, and
c 2 19

reen,were specially woven and dyed.

n the following section fifty/two works, in sixty;
six volumes, are described as having been printed
at the Kelmscott Press, besides the two pages of
Froissart’s Chronicles. It is scarcely necessary to
add that only hand presses have been used, of the
type known as ‘Albion.’ In the early days there
was only one press on which the books were print,
ed, besides a small press for taking proofs. At the
end of May, 1891, larger premises were taken at
14, Upper Mall, next door to the cottage already
referred to, which was given up in June. In No,
vember, 1891, a second press was bought, as The
Golden Legend was not yet half finished, and it
seemed as though the last of its 1286 pages would
never be reached. Three ears later another small
house was taken, No. 14 eing still retained. This
was No. 21, Upper Mall, overlooking the river,
which acted as a reflector, so that there was an ex,
cellent light for printing. In January, 1895, athird
press, speciallymade for the work,was set up here
in orderthattwo presses mightbe employed on the
Chaucer.This press has alreadypassed into other
hands, and the little house, with its many associaz
tions, and its pleasant outlook towards Chiswick
and Mortlake, is now being transformed into a
granary.The last sheet printed there was that on
which are the frontispiece and title of this book.

- 14, Upper Mall, HammersmithJanuary 4, 1898.

20

AN ANNOTATED LIST OF ALL THE
BOOKS PRINTED AT THE KELMS,
COTT PRESS IN TH E ORDER IN
WHICH THEY WERE ISSUED.
Note:The borders are numbered as far as pos,
sible in the order of their first appearance, those
which appear on a verso or left hand page being
distinguished by the addition of theletter ‘a’ to the
numbers of the recto borders of similar design.

1.THE STORY OFTHE GLITTE RING
PLAIN. WHICH HAS BE EN ALSO
CALLED THE LAND OF LIVING
MEN OR THE ACRE OF THE UNDY/
ING. WRITTEN BY WILLIAM MOR;
RI S. Small 4to. Golden type. Border I. zoo aper
copies at two guineas, and 6 on vellum. Dated
April 4, issued May 8, 1891. Sold by Reeves 86
Turner. Bound in stiff vellum with washleather
ties. \

J? This book was set up from Nos. 81/4 of The
English Illustrated Magazine, in which it first
appeared; some of the chapter headings were re’
arranged, and a few small corrections were made in
the text. Atrial page, the first printed at the Press,
was struck off on January 31, 1891, but the first
sheet was not printed until about a month later.
The border was designed in anuary of the same
year, and engraved byW H. ooper. Mr. Morris
had four of the vellum copies bound in green vel,
Ium, three of which he gaVe to friends. Only two

21

copies on vellum were sold, at twelve and fifteen
guineas.This was the only book with washleather
ties. All the other vellum/bound books have silk
ties, except Shelley’s Poems and Hand and Soul,
which have no ties. -

2. POEMS BY THE WAY. WRITTEN
BYWILLIAM MORRIS. Small4to. Golden
type. In black& red. Border 1. goo paper copies at
two guineas, 13 on vellum at about twelve uineas.
Dated Sept. 24, issued Oct. 20, 1891. old by
Reeves 86 Turner. Bound in stiff vellum.

fl This was the first book printed at the Kelm5z
cott Pressin two colours, 8C the first book inwhich
the smaller printer’s mark appeared. After The
Glittering Plain was finished, at the beginning of
April, no printing was done until May 11. In the
meanwhile the compositors were busy setting up
the early sheets of The Golden Legend. The
printing of Poems by the Way, which its author
first thought of calling Flores Atramenti, was not
begun untiljuly. The poems in itwere written at
various times. In the manuscript,Hafbur&Signy
is dated February 4, 1870 ; H ildebrand8€ Hillilel,
March 1, 1871; and Love’ s Reward, Kelmscott,
April 21,1871. Meeting in Winter is a song from
The Story of Orpheus, an unpublished poem in,
tended for The Earthly Paradise. The last poem
in the book, Goldilocks 8C Goldilocks, was writ,
ten on May 20,1891, for the purpose of adding to
the bulk of the volume, which was then being

22

prepared. A few of the vellum covers were stained.
at Merton red, yellow, indigo, and dark green, but
the experiment was not successful.

3.THE LOVE/LYRICS 8C SONGS OF
PROTE US BY WILFRID SCAWEN
BLUNT WITH THE LOVE/SON,
NETS OF PROTEUS BY THE SAME
AUTHOR NOW REPRINTED IN.
THEIR FULL TEXT WITH MANY
SONNETS OMITTED FROM THE
EARLIER EDITIONS. LONDON MD,
CCCXCII. Small 4to. Golden type. In black
and red. Border 1. goo paper copies attwo uineas,
none on vellum. Dated Jan. 26, issued eb. 27,
1892. Sold by Reeves 86 Turner. Bound in stiff
vellum.

fl This is the only book in which the initials are
printedin red. This was donebytheauthor’swish.

4. THE NATURE OF ‘GOTHIC A
CHAPTER OF THE STONES OF'VEz
NICE. BY JOHN RUSKIN.Withapreface
by William Morris. Small 4to. Golden type.
Border 1. Diagrams in text. 500 papercopies at
thirty shillings, none on vellum. Dated in preface
February 15, issued March 22, 1892. Published
by George Allen. Bound in stifi‘ vellum.

J? This chapter of the Stones of Venice, which
Ruskin always considered the most important in
the book, was first printed separately in 1854 as a
sixpenny pamphlet. Mr. Morris paid more than

.23

one tribute to it in Hopes and Fears for Art. Of
him Ruskin said in 1887, ‘ Morris is beaten gold.’

5.THE DEFENCE OF GUENEVERE,
AND OTHER POEMS. BY WILLIAM
MORRIS. Small 4to. Golden type. In black 81:
red. Borders 2 8C 1. goo paper copies at two guineas,
ten on vellum at about twelve guineas. Dated
April 2, issued May19, 1892. Sold by Reeves 86
Turner. Bound in limp vellum.

fl This book was set upfrom a copy of the ediz
tion published by Reeves 86 Turner in 1889, the
only alteration, except a few corrections, being in
the 11th line of Summer Dawn. It is divided into
three parts, the poems suggested by Malory’s
Morte d’Arthur, the poems inspired by Frois;
sart’s Chronicles, and poems on various subjects.
The two first sections have borders, and the last
has a half/border. The first sheet was printed on
February 17, 1892. It was the first book bound in
limp vellum, and the only one of which the title
was inscribed by hand on the back.

6. A DREAM OF JOHN BALL AND A
KING’S LESSON. BYWILLIAM MOR,
RIS. Small 4to. Golden type. In black and red.
Borders 3a, 4, and 2. With a woodcut designed
by Sir E. BurneJones. goo paper copies at thirty
shillings, eleven on vellum at ten uineas. Dated
May 13, issued Sept. 24, 1892. Sold by Reeves 8C
urner. Bound in limp vellum.
fl This-was set up with a few alterations from a

24

copy of Reeves 8C Turner’s third edition, and the
printingwas begun on April 4, 1892. The frontis/
piece was redrawn from that to the first edition,
and engraved on wood by W. H. Hooper, who
engraved all Sir E. BurneJones’ designs for the
Kelmscott Press, except those forThe Wood be,
yond theWorld and The Life and Death of Jason.
The inscription below the figures, and the narrow
border, were designed by Mr. Morris, 86 engraved
with the picture on one block, which was after;
wards used on a leaflet printed for the Ancoats
Brotherhood in February, 1894.

7.TI-IE GOLDEN LEGEND. By Jacobus
de Voragine. Translated by William Caxton.
Edited by F. S. Ellis. 3 vols. Large 4to. Golden
type. Borders 5a, 5, 6a, and 7. Woodcut title and
two woodcuts designed by Sir E. Burnez ones.
500 paper copies at five uineas, none on vellum.
Dated Sept. 12, issued ov. 3, 1892. Published
by Bernard Qiaritch. Bound in half holland, with
paper labels printed in the Troy type.

fl In July, 1890, when onl a few letters of the
Golden type had been cut, §In Morris bou ht a
copy of this book, printed byWynkyn de \Xgorde
in 1527. He soon afterwards determined to print
it, and on Sept. 11 entered intoaformal agreement
with Mr. Quaritch for its publication. Itwas only
an unforeseen difficulty about the size of the first
stock of paper that led toThe Golden Legend not
being the first book put in hand. It was set up

25

from a transcript of Caxton’ s first edition, lent by
the Syndics of the Cambridge University Library
for the purpose. A trialpage was got out in March,
1891, 86 50 pages were in type by May 11, the day
on which the first sheet was printed. The firstvw
Iume was finished, with the exception of the illusv
trations and the preliminarymatter, in Oct., 1891.
The two illustrations and the title (which was the
first woodcut title designed‘by Mr. Morris) were
not engraved until June and August, 1892, when
the third volume was approaching completion.
About half a dozen impressions of the illustraz
tions were pulled on vellum. A slip askingowners
of the book not to have it bound with pressure,
nor to have the edges cut instead of merely trim,
med, was inserted in each copy.

8. THE RECUYELL OF THE HISTO/
RYES OF TROYE. By Raoul Lefevre.Trans/
Iated byWilliam Caxton. Edited by H . Halliday
Sparling. 2vols. Large 4to. Troy type, with table
of chapters and glossary in Chaucertype. In black
and red. Borders 5a, 5, and 8. Woodcut title. goo
paper copies at nine guineas, five on vellum at
eighty pounds. Dated Oct. 14, issued Nov. 24,
1892. Published by Bernard Quaritch. Bound in
limp vellum.

fl Thisbook,begunin February, 18 2, isthe first
book printed in Troy ty e, and the irst in which
Chaucer type appears. t is a reprint of the first
book printed in English. It had long been a fa,

2 .

vourite with William Morris, who , designed a
great quantity of initials and ornaments fOrit, and
wrote the following note for Mr. Quaritch’s cataz
logue: ‘As to the matter of the book, it makes a
thoroughly amusing story, instinct with medi/
aeval thought and manners. Forthough written at
the end of the Middle Ages. 8: dealing with clay
sical mythology, it has in it no token of the com,
ing Renaissance, but is purely medix‘val. It is the
last issue of that story of Troywhich through the.
whole of the Middle Ages had such a hold on
men’s imaginations; the storybuilt up from a ruz
mour of the Cyclic Poets, of the heroic City of
Troy, defended b Priam and his gallant sons,
led by Hector the {’reux Chevalier, and beset by
the violent 8: brutal Greeks, who were looked on
as the necessary machinery for bringing about the
undeniable tragedy of the fall of the city. Surely
this is well worth reading, if only as a piece ofun/
diluted mediaevalism.’ 2000 copies of a 4to an;
nouncement, with specimen pages, were printed
at the Kelmscott Press in-December, 1892, for dis;
tribution by the publisher.

91:. BIBLIA INNOCENTIUM: BEING
HE STORY OF GOD’S CHOSEN PEO,
PLE BEFORE THECOMING OF OUR
LORDJESUS CHRISTUPON EARTH,
WRITTEN AN EW FOR CHILDREN BY
JNV. MACKAIL,SOMETIME FELLOW
OF BALLIOL COLLEGE, OXFORD.

27

8vo. Border 2. zoo on paper at a guinea, none on
vellum. Dated Oct. 22, issued Dec. 9,1892. Sold by
Reeves 86 Turner. Bound in stiff vellum.

fl This was the last book issued in stiff vellum
except Hand 8C Soul, and the last with untrim;
med edges. It was the first book printed in 8vo.

to.THE HISTORYOF REYNARD THE
FOXE BY WILLIAM CAXTON. Re;
printed from his edition of 1481. Edited by H.
Halliday Sparling. Large 4to. Troy type, with
glossary in Chaucer type. In black& red. Borders
5a and 7. Woodcut title. 360 on paper at three
uineas, to on vellum at fifteen guineas. Dated
ec. 15, 1892, issued Jan. 25, 1893. Published by
Bernard Qiaritch. Bound in limp vellum.
fiAbout this book, which was first announced
as in the press in the list datedjuly, 1892,William
Morris wrote the following note for Mr. Qua;
ritch's catalogue: ‘This translation of Caxton’s
is one of the verybest of his works as to style; and
beingtranslated from a kindred tongueis delight;
ful as mere language. In its rude joviality, and
simple and direct delineation of character, it is a
thoroughly ood representative of the famous an;
cient Beast pic.’ The edges of this book, 86 of all
subsequent books, were trimmed in accordance
with the invariable practice of the early printers.
Mr. Morris much preferred the trimmed edges.
11.THE POEMS OFWILLIAM SHAKE,
SPEARE,PRINTEDAFTERTHE ORL
28

GINAL COPIES OF VENUS AND A,
DONIS,1593.THE RAPE OF LUCRECE,
1594. SONNETS, 1609. THE LOVE R’S
COMPLAINT. Edited by F. S. Ellis. 8vo.
Golden type. In black and red. Borders 1 and 2.
500 paper copies at 25 shillings, 10 on vellum at
ten guineas. Dated Jan. 17, issued Feb. 13, 1893.
Sold by Reeves 8C Turner. Bound in limp vellum.
fl Atrial page of this book was set up on Nov. 1,
1892. Though the number was large, this has be,
come one of the rarest books issued from the Press.
IzfiNEWS FROM NOWHERE: OR,
AN EPOCH OF REST, BEING SOME
CHAPTERS FROM A UTOPIAN RO,
MANCE, BY WILLIAM MORRIS. 8vo.
Golden type. In black and red. Borders 9a and 4,
and a woodcut en raved by W H. Hooper from
a design by C. . Gere. goo on paper at two]
guineas, 10 on vellum at ten guineas. Dated Nov.
22, 1892, issued March 24, 1893. Sold by Reeves
8C Turner. Bound in limp vellum.

fl The text of this book was printed before
Shakespeare’ 5 Poems 8C Sonnets, but it was kept
back for the frontispiece, which is a picture of
the old manor/house in the village of Kelmscott
by the up er Thames, from which the Press took
its name. Itwas setup fromacopyofone of Reeves
&Turner’s editions, and in readingitforthe press
the author made a few sli ht corrections. It was
the last book except the Savonarola (No. 31) in

29

which he used the old paragraph mark (E, which
was discarded in favour of the leaves, which had
alreadybeen usedin the two large 4to books print,
ed in the Troy type.
13.THE ORDER OF CHIVALRY. Trans;
lated from the French by William Caxton and re,
rinted from his edition of 1484. Edited by F. S.
llis. And L’ORDENE DE CHEVALE/
RIE, WITH TRANSLATION BYWIL,
LIAM MORRIS. Small 4to. Chaucer type,
in black and red. Borders 9a and 4, and a wood,
cut designed by Sir Edward BurnezJ ones. 225 on
paper at thirty shillings, 10 on vellum at ten guiz
neas. The Order of Chivalry dated Nov. 10, 1892,
L’ Ordene de Chevalerie dated February 24,1893,
issued April 12, 1893. Sold by Reeves 86 Turner.
Bound in limp vellum.
Lg This [was the last book printed in small 4to.
The last section is in 8vo. It was the first book
printed in Chaucer type. The reprint from Cax,
ton was finished while News from Nowhere was
in the press, and before Shakespeare’ 5 Poems and
Sonnets was begun. The French poem and its
translation were added as an after/thought, and
have a separate colophon. Some of the three/line
initials, which were designed for TheWelI at the
World’s End, are used in the French poem, and
this is their first appearance. The translation was
begun on Dec. 3, 1892, and the border round the
frontispiece was designed on Feb. 13, 1893.

30

14. THE LIFE OF THOMAS WOLSEY,
CARDINAL ARCHBISHOP OF YORK
fiWRITTEN BY GEORGE CAVEN/
DISH. Edited by F. S. Ellis from the author’s
autograph MS. 8vo. Golden type. Border 1. 250
on pa er at two guineas, 6 on vellum at ten guiz
neas. Eated March 30, issued May 3, 1893. Sold

by Reeves 81. Turner. Bound in limp vellum.

15.THE HISTORY OF GODEFREY OF
BOLOYNE AND OF THE CONQUEST
O F I H E RU SALE M. Reprinted from Cax/
ton’s edition of 1481. Edited by H. Halliday
Sparling. Large 4to. Troy type, with list of chap,
ter headings 8C glossaryin Chaucer type. In black
and red. Borders 5a8£ 5, and woodcut title. goo on
paper at six guineas, 6 on vellum at 20 guineas.
Dated April 27, issued May 24, 1893. Published
byWiIIiam Morris at the Kelmscott Press.Bound
in limp vellum.

fl This was the fifth and last of the Caxton re,
prints,With many new ornaments and initials, 8C
a new printer’s mark. Itwas first announced as in
the press in the list dated Dec., 1892. It was the
first book published and sold at the Kelmscott
Press. An announcement and order form, with
two different specimen pages, was printed at the
Press,besides a s ecial invoice. A few copies were
bound in half holland, not for sale.

16.UTOPIAfiWRITTEN BY SIRTHOa
MAS MORE. A reprint of the 2nd edition of

31

Ralph Robinson’ 5 translation, with a foreword
by William Morris. Edited by F. S. Ellis. 8vo.
Chaucer type, with the reprinted title in Troy
type. In black& red. Borders 4 and 2. 300 on pa,
per at thirty shillings, 8 on vellum at ten guineas.
Dated August 4, issued September 8, 1893. Sold
by Reeves 85 Turner. Bound in limp vellum.
fl This book was first announced as in the press
in the list dated May 20, 1893.

17.1VIAUD, A MONODRAMA. BY ALI
FRED LORD TENNYSON. 8vo. Golden
type. In black and red. Borders toa and 10, and
woodcut title. 500 on paper at two guineas, 5 on
vellum not for Sale. Dated Aug. 11, issued Sept.
30,1893. Published by Macmillan 86 Co. Bound
in limp vellum.

fl. The borders were specially designed for this
book. They were both used again in the Keats,
and one of them appears in The Sunderin g Flood.
It is thefirst of the 8vo books with awoodcuttitle.

18.GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE: A LECI
TURE FOR THE ARTS AND CRAFTS
EXHIBITION SOCIETY fl BY WIL/
LIAM MORRIS. 16mo.Golden type. In black
and red. 1500 on paper at two shillings and six,
pence, 45 on vellum at ten and fifteen shillings.
Bound in‘halfholland.

fl This lecture was set up at Hammersmith and
printed at. the New Gallery during the Arts and
Crafts Exhibition in October 8: November, 1893.

,32

The first copies were ready on October 21, 8C the
book was twice reprinted before the Exhibition
closed. Itwas the first book printed in 16mo. The
four/line initials used in it appear here for the first
time.The vellum copies were sold during the Ex;
hibition at ten shillings, and the price was subsez
quently raised to fifteen shillings.

19. SIDONIA THE SORCERESSfi BY
WILLIAM MEINHOLD TRANSLAT,
ED BY FRANCESCA SPE RANZA LA;
DY WI LDE. Large 4to. Golden type. In black
&-red. Border 8. goo paper copies at four uineas,
10 on vellum at twenty guineas. Dated ept. 15,
issued November 1, 1893. Published by William
Morris. Bound in limp vellum.

fl Before the publication of this book a large 4to
announcement and order form was issued, with
a specimen page and an interesting descri tion of
the book and its author, written 85 signed byWilz
liam Morris. Some copies were boundin half 1101/
land, not for sale.

20. BALLADS AND NARRATIVE POI
EMS BY DA NTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI.
8vo. Golden type. In black8lred. Borders 4a8€4,
and woodcut title. 310 on pa er at two guineas, 6
on vellum at ten guineas. gated Oct. 14, issued
in November, 1893. Published by Ellis 8C Elvey.
Bound in limp vellum.

fl This book was announced as in preparation
in thil list of August 1, 1893.  

'33

21.THE TALE OF KING FLORUS AND
THE FAIR JEHANE. Translated by Will
liam Morris from the French of the 13th century.
16mo. Chaucer type. In black and red. Borders
11a and 11, andwoodcut title. 350 on paper at seven
shillin s and Sixpence, 15 on vellum at thirty shilz
lings. ated Dec. 16, issued Dec. 28, 1893. Pub;
lishedby William Morris. Boundin half holland.
,6 This story, like the three other translations
with which it is uniform, was taken from a little
volume called Nouvelles Francoises en prose du
XIIIe siécle. Paris, Jannet, 1856. They were first
announced as in preparation under the heading
‘French Tales’ in the list dated May 20, 1893.
Ei hty/f'ive copies of King Florus were bought
by . and M. L. Tregaskis, who had them bound
in all parts of the world. These are now in the
Rylands Library at Manchester.

22. ,QkfiTI-IE STORY OF THE GLIT’
TERING PLAIN WHICH HAS BEEN
ALSO CALLED THE LAND OF LIV,
ING MEN OR THE ACRE OF THE
UNDYING.WRITTEN BY WILLIAM
MORRIS. Large 4to. Troy type, with list of
chapters in Chaucer type. In black and red. Borz
ders 12a and 12, 23 designs by Walter Crane, en’
graved by A. Leverett, and a woodcut title. 250
on paper at five guineas, 7 on vellum at twenty

ounds. Dated]an.13, issued Feb. 17,1894. Pub,
lishedbyWilIiam Morris. Bound in limp vellum.

34

L” Neither the borders in this book nor six out of
the seven frames round the illustrations appearin
any other book. The seventh is used round the
second picture in Love is Enough. A few copies

were bound in half holland.

23. OF THE FRIENDSHIP OF AMIS
AN D AM I LE . Done out of the ancient French
by William Morris. 16mo. Chaucer type. In black
and red. Borders 11a and u, and woodcut title. 500
on paper at seven shillin s 86 Sixpence, 15 on VCl/
lum at thirty shillings. ated March 13, issued
April 4, 1894. Published by William Morris.
Bound in half holland. >

J? A poem entitled Amys 8C Amillion, founded
on this story, was originally to have appeared in
the second volume of the Earthly Paradise, but,
like some other poems announced at the same
time, it was not included in the book. '

20aoSONNETS AND LYRICAL POEMS

BY DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI.8vo.
Golden type. In black and red. Borders 1a and 1,

and woodcut title. 310 on paper at two guineas, 6
on vellum at ten guineas. Dated Feb. 20, issued
April 21, 1894. Published by Ellis 86 Elvey.Bound
in limp vellum. -

fiThis book is uniform with No. 20, to which

it forms a sequel. Both volumes 'were read for the

press by MLW M. Rossetti.

24. THE POEMS OF OHN KEATS.
Edited by F. S. Ellis. 8vo. olden type. In black

d2 ”-35

and red. Borders 10a and to, and woodcut title.
goo on paper at thirty shillings, 7 on vellum at
nine guineas. Dated March , issued May 8,
1894.. Published by William orris. Bound in

lim vellum.

flg'his is now (Jan., 1898) the most sought after
of all the smaller Kelmscott Press books. It was
annOunced as in preparation in the lists of May
27 and August I, 1893, and as in the press in that
of March 31, 1894,when the woodcut title still re;
mained to be printed.

25°ATALANTA IN CALYDON: ATRAa
GE DY. BY ALGE RNON CHARLES
SWINBURNE. Large 4to. Troy type, with
argument 8: dramatis personze in Chaucer type;
the dedication and quotation from Euripides in
Greek type designed bySelwyn Image. In black 86
red. Borders 5a and 5, and woodcuttitle. 250 on pa;
get at two guineas, 8 on vellum at twelve guineas.
ated May4,issued]ul 24, 1894. Published by
William Morris. Boun in limp vellum.
fl In thevellum copies of this book the colophon
is not on the 82nd page as in the paper copies,but
on the following page.
26. fiflTI—IE TALE OF TH E E MPE R.
OR COUSTANS AND OF OVER SEA.
Done out of ancient French by William Morris.
16mo. Chaucer type. In black and red. Borders 11a
' .85 11, both twice, 86 two woodcut titles. 525 on pa;
per at seven shillings 8C Sixpence, 20 on vellum at

36

two guineas, Dated August 30, issued Sept. 26,
1894. Published by William Morris. Bound in
half holland.

fl The first of these stories,which was the source
of The Man born to be King, in The Earthly
Paradise, was announced as in preparation in the

list of March 31,1894.

27THE WOOD BEYONDTHE WORLD.
BYWI LLIAM MORRIS.8vo.Chaucertype.
In black and red. Borders 13a and 13, and a frontis;
piece designed by Sir E . Burner] ones, 8C engraved
on wood byW. Spielmeyer. 350 on paper at two
guineas, 8 on vellum at ten guineas. Dated May
30, issued Oct. 16, 1894. Published by William
Morris. Bound in limp vellum. .
fl The borders in this book, as well as the ten
half/borders, are here used forthe firsttime. Itwas
first announced as in the press in thelist of March
31, 1894. Another edition was published by Law,
rence and Bullen in 1895.
28. THE BOOK OF WISDOM AND
LIE S. A book of traditional stories from Georgia
in Asia. Translated by Oliver Wardrop from the
original of SulkhanzSaba Orbeliani. 8vo. Golden
type. In black and red. Borders 4a 8?. 4, 8C woodcut
title. 250 on paper at two guineas, none on vellum.
Finished Sept. 29, issued Oct. 29, 1894. Published
b Bernard Quaritch. Bound in limp vellum.
The arms of Georgia, consistin' of the Holy
Coat, appear in the woodcut title 0 this book. _ ‘

37

2 .THE POETICAL WORKS OF PER;

Y BYSSHE SHELLEYflVOLUME I.
Edited by F. 5. Ellis. 8vo. Golden type. Borders
1a and 1, 86 woodcut title. 250 on paper at twenty,
five shillings, 6 on vellum at eight guineas. Not
dated, issued Nov. 29, 1894. Published by Will
Iiam Morris. Bound in limp vellum without ties.
fl Red ink is not usedin this volume,though it is
used in the second volume, and more sparingly in
the third. Some of the half/borders designed for
TheWood beyond theWorld reappear before the
longer poems. The Shelley was first announced
as in the press in the list of March 31, 1894.

30. PSALMI PENITE NTIALES. An
English rhymed version of the Seven Penitential
Psalms. Edited by F. 5. Ellis. 8vo. Chaucer type.
In black and red. goo on paper at seven shillings
8C Sixpence, 12 on vellum at three guineas. Dated
Nov. 15, issued Dec. 10,1894. Published by Wil/
liam Morris. Bound in half holland.

fl These verses were taken from a manuscript
Book of Hours written at Gloucester in the first
half of the fifteenth century, but the Rev. Profes/
sor Skeat has pointed out that the scribe must
have copied them from an older manuscript, as
they are in the Kentish dialect of about a century
earlier. The half/border on p. 34 appears for the
first time in this book.

31.EPISTOLA DE CONTEMPTU MUN,

DI DE; FRATE HIERONYMO DA FER,
3

RARA DELLORDINE DE FRATI PRE,
DICATORI LA UALE MANDA AD
ELENA BUONA CO RSI SUA MADRE,
PER CONSOLARLA DELLA MORTE
DEL FRATELLO, SUO ZIO. Edited by
Charles Fairfax Murray from the original auto;
raph letter. 8vo. Chaucer type. In black and red.
gorder 1.Woodcut on title designed by C.F. Murz
ray 8C engraved by W H. Hooper. 150 on paper,
and 6 on vellum. Dated Nov. go, ready Dec. 12,
18 4. Bound in half holland.
fiThis little book was printed for Mr. C. Fair;
fax Murray, the owner of the manuscript, 8: was
not for sale in the ordinary way. The colophon is
in Italian, and the printer’s mark is in red.
32. THE TALE OF BEOWULF. Done out
of the Old English tongue b William Morris
and AJ. Wyatt. Large 4to. "ll'roy type, with ar/
gument, sidelnotes, list of persons and places, and
glossary in Chaucer type. In black and red. Borz
ders 14a and 14, and woodcut title. goo on aper
at two guineas, 8 on vellum at ten pounds. ated
Jan. to, issued Feb. 2,1895. Published by William
Morris. Bound in limp vellum.

The borders in this book were only used once
again, in theJason. A Note to the Reader printed
on a slip in the Golden type was inserted in each
copy. Beowulf was first announced as in preparaz
tion in the list of Ma 20, 1893. The verse trans’
lation was begun by Mr. Morris, with the aid of

39

Mr. Wyatt's careful paraphrase of the text, on
Feb. 21,1893, and finished on A riI 10,1894, but
the argument was not written by Ell r. Morris until
Dec. 10, 1894.
33. SYR PE RECYVE LLE OF GALES.
Overseen by F. S. Ellis, after the edition edited
by I. O. Halliwell from the Thornton MS. in
the Librar of Lincoln Cathedral. 8vo. Chaucer
type. In b ack and red. Borders 13a and 13, and a
woodcut designed by Sir E. Burnezjones. 350 on
paper at fifteen shillings, 8 on vellum at four gui/
neas. Dated Feb. 16,issued May2,1895. Published
byWilliam Morris. Bound in limp vellum.
This is the first of the series to which Sire
egrevaunt8£ Syr Isumbrace belong. Theywere
all reprinted from the Camden Society’ s volume
of 1844, which was a favourite with Mr. Morris
from his Oxford days. Syr Perecyvelle was first
announced in the list of Dec. 1,1894.The shoulder;
notes were added by Mr. Morris.

34.THE LIFE AND DEATH OFJASON,
A POE M. BY WILLIAM MORRIS.Large
4to.Troy type, with afew words in Chaucer type.
In black 8C red. Borders 14a and 14, and two wood,
cuts designed b Sir E. Burnezjones 8C engraved
on wood by WYSpielmeyer. zoo on paper at five
uineas, 6 on vellum at twenty uineas. Dated
fVIay 2 , issued July 5, 1895. Pub ished by Will
liam orris. Bound in limp vellum.
fl This book, announced as in the press in the

40

list of April 21, 1894, proceeded slowly, as several
other books, notably the Chaucer, were being
printed atthe same time.Thetext,which had been
corrected for the second edition of 1868, and forthe
edition of 1882, was again revised by the author.
The line/fillin gs on the last page were cut on metal
for this book, and cast like type.

2 a.THE POETICALWORKS OF PE R,
Y BYSSHE SHELLEY fl VOLUME
II. Edited by F. 5. Ellis. 8vo. Golden type. In
black 86 red. 250 on paper at twenty’five shillings,
6 on vellum at ei ht guineas. Not dated, issued
March 25, 1895. ublished by William Morris.
Bound in limp vellum without ties.
3 . CHILD CHRISTOPHER AND GOL,
ILIND THE FAIR. BY WILLIAM
MORRIS. 2vols. 16mo. Chaucer type. In black
and red. Borders 15a 86 15, and woodcut title. 600
on paper at fifteen shillings, 12 on vellum at four ‘
guineas. DatedJuly 25, issued Sept. 25, 1895. Pub,
lished byWilliamMorris.Bound in half holland, _
with labels printed in the Golden type.
fiThe borders desi ned for this book were only
used once again, in and and Soul. The plot of
the story was suggested b that of Havelok the ‘
Dane, printed by the EarlyEnglishText Society.
2 b.THE POETICALWORKS OF PE R,
Y BYSSHE SHELLEY fl VOLUME
III. Edited by F. S. Ellis. 8vo. Golden type. In'
black 8C red. 250 on paper at twentyzfiVe shillings,

41

 

6 on vellum at eight guineas. Dated Au ust 21,
issued October 28,1895. Published by illiam
Morris. Bound in limp vellum without ties.

36. HAND AND SOUL. BY DANTE
GABRIEL ROSSETTI. Reprinted fromThe
Germ for Messrs.Way& Williams, of Chicago.
16mo. Golden type. In black and red. Borders 15a
and 15, and woodcut title. goo paper copies and 11
vellum copies for America. 225 paper cOpies for
sale in England at ten shillings, and 10 on vellum
at thirty shillings. Dated Oct. 24, issued Dec. 12,
18 5. Bound in stiff vellum without ties.

This was the only 16mo book bound in vel;

lum. The English and American copies have a
slightly different colo hon. The shoulder/notes
were added by Mr. Mporris.

37. POEMS CHOSEN OUT OF THE
W RKS OF ROBERT HERRICK. Edited
by F. S. Ellis. 8vo. Golden type. In black 8C red.
Borders 4a and 4, and woodcut title. 250 on paper '
at thirt shillings, 8 on vellum at eight guineas.
Dated ov. 21, 18 5, issued Feb. 6, 1896. Pub;
lishedbyWilliam orris.Boundinlimpvellum.

This book was first announced as in prepara/

tion in the list of Dec. 1, 1894, and as in the press
in that ofJuly 1, 1895.

38. POEMS CHOSEN OUT OF THE
WORKS OF SAMUEL TAYLOR COLE,
RIDGE . Edited by F. S. Ellis. 8vo. Golden type.
In black and red. Borders 13a and 13. goo on paper

42

at a guinea, 8 on vellum at. five guineas. Dated
Feb. 5, issued April 12, 1896. Published by Will
liam Morris. Bound in limp vellum.

fl This book contains thirteen poems. It was first
announced as in preparation in the list of Dec. 1,
1894, 86 as in the pressin that of Nov. 26, 1895. It is
the last of the series to which Tennyson’s Maud,
and the oems of Rossetti, Keats, Shelley, and
Herrick elong.

39. TH E WELL AT TH E WORLD’S
ENDfi BY WILLIAM MORRIS. Large
4to. Double columns. Chaucer type. In black and
red. Borders 16a, 16, 17a, 17, 18a, 18, 19a and 19, and
4 woodcuts designed by Sir E. BurneJones. 350
on paper at five uineas, 8 on vellum at twenty
guineas. Dated arch 2, issuedJune4, 1896. Sold
by William Morris. Bound in limp vellum.

fl This book, delayed for various reasons, was
longer on hand than anyother. Itappearsin no less
than twelve lists, from that of Dec., 1892,to that of
Nov. 26, 1895, as ‘in the press.’ Trial pages, in;
cludin g one in a single column,were ready as early
as September, 1892, 8C the printing began on Dec.
16 of that ear. The edition of The Well at the
World’s nd ublished by Longmans was then
being printed gom the author’s manuscript at the
Chiswick Press, and the Kelmscott Press edition
was set up from the sheets of that edition, which,
though notissued until October,1896,was finished
in 1894. The eight borders and the six different

43

ornaments betWeen the columns, appear here for
the first time, but are used again in The Water of
the Wondrous Isles, with the exception of two
' borders.

40. THE WORKS OF GEOFFREY
CH A U C E R. Edited by F. S. Ellis. Folio.
Chaucer type, with headings to the longer poems
in Troy type. In black and red. Borders 20a to
26, woodcut title, 8: 87 woodcut illustrations de’
signed by Sir E. Burnezjones. 425 on pa er at
twenty pounds, 13 on vellum at 120 guineas. Bated
May 8, issued June 26, 189;. Published by Will
liam Morris. Bound in half holland.

y The history of this book, which is by far the
most important achievement of the Kelmscott
Press, is as follows. As far back as June 11, 1891,
Mr. Morris spoke of printing a Chaucer with a
black/letter fount which he hoped to design. Four
monthslater, when most of theTroy type was de/
signed and cut, he expressed his intention to use
it first on John Ball, and then on a Chaucer and
perhaps a Gesta Romanorum. ByJanuary 1, 1892,
the Troy type was delivered,& early in that month
two trial pages, one from The Cook’ 3 Tale 8: one
from Sir Thopas, the latter in double columns,
were got out. It then became evident that the type
was too large for a Chaucer, and Mr. Morris dez
cided to have it rezcut in the size knoWn as pica.
By the end ofJune he was thus in possession of
the typewhich in thelistissued in December, 1892,

44

he named the Chaucer type. Injuly, 1892, another
trial page, a passage from The Knight's Tale in
double columns of 58 lines, was got out,& found to
be satisfactory.The idea of the Chaucer as it now
exists, with illustrations by Sir Edward Burne/
Jones, then took definite shape.

In aproof of the firstlist, dated April, 1892, there is
an announcement of the book as in preparation, in
blackzletter, large quarto,but this was struck out,
and does not appear in the list as printed in May,
nor yet in the July list. In that for Dec., 1892, it is
announced for the first time as to be in Chaucer
type ‘with about sixty designs by E .Burnez ones.’
The next list,dated March 9,1893,states that itwill
be a folio and that it is in the press, by which was
meant that a few pages were in type. In the list
dated Aug. 1, 1893, the probable price is given as
twentypounds .T he next fourlists contain no fresh
information, but on Aug. 17,1894, nine days after
the first sheetwas printed, anotice was sent to the
trade that there would be 325 copies at twenty
pounds 8C about sixty woodcuts designed by Sir
Edward Burnez ones. Three months later itwas
decided to increase the number of illustrations to
u wards of seventy, 81: to print another 100 copies
0 the book. A circular letter was sent to subscrib/
ers on Nov. 14, stating this 86 giving them an 0p;
portunity of cancelling their orders. Orders were
not withdrawn, the extra copies were immediately
taken up, and the list for Dec. 1,1894, which is the

45

first containing full particulars, announces that all
paper copies are sold.

Mr. Morris began designing his first folio border
on Feb. 1, 1893, but was dissatisfied with the design
and did not finish it. Three days later he began the
vine border for the first page,& finished itin about
a week, together with the initial word ‘Whan,’
the two lines of heading, 8C the frame for the first
picture, and Mr. Hooper engraved the whole of
these on one block. The firstpicture was engraved
at aboutthe same time.A specimen of the firstpage
(differing slightly from the same page as it appears
in the book) was shown at the Arts and Crafts
Exhibition in October and November, 1893, and
was issued to a fewleadin g booksellers, but itwas
not until August 8, 1894, that the first sheet was
printed at 14, Upper Mall. On Jan. 8, 1895, an,
other press was started at 21,Upper Mall,& from
that time two presses were almost exclusively at
work on the Chaucer. By Sept. to the last page
of The Romaunt of the Rose was printed. In the
middleof Feb. 1896, Mr. Morris began designing
the title. It was finished on the 27th of the same
month and engraved by Mr. Hooper in March.
On May 8, a year and nine months after the print;
ing of the first sheet, the book was completed. On
June 2 the first two copies were delivered to Sir
Edward Burnezjones and Mr. Morris. Mr. Morz
ris’s copy is now at Exeter College, Oxford, with
other books printed at the Kelmscott Press.

46

Besides the ei htyzseven illustrations designedb
Sir Edward urneJones, and engraved by VIZ
H. Hooper, the Chaucer contains awoodcut title,
fourteen large borders, eighteen different frames
round the illustrations, 8C twent zsix large initial
words designed for the book by&/illiam Morris.
Many of these were engraved by C. E. Keates, 86
others byW H. Hooper and W Spielmeyer.

In Feb., 1896, a notice was issued respecting special
bindings, of which Mr. Morris intended to de/
sign four.Two of these were to have been executed
under Mr. CobdenzSanderson's direction at the
Doves Bindery,&'. two by MessrsJ. 8C]. Leighton.
But the only design that he was able to complete
was for a full white pigskin binding, which has
now been carried out at the Doves Bindery on
forty/eight copies, including two on vellum.

41. THE EARTH LY PARADISE. BY
WILLIAM MORRIS. VOLUME Lfl
PROLOGUE :THE WANDE RE RSfl
‘MARCH: ATALANTA’S RACE. THE
MAN BORN TO BE KING. Medium
4to. Golden type. In black and red. orders 27a,
27, 28a, and 28, and woodcut title. 225 on paper
at thirt shillings, 6 on vellum at seven guineas.
Dated ay 7, issuedjuly 24,1896. Published by
William Morris. Bound in limp vellum.

fiThis was the first book printed on the paper
with the apple water/mark. The seven other vol;
umes followed it at intervals of a few months.

47

None of the ten borders used in the Earthl Pa,
radise appear in any other book.The four difilerent
half/borders round the poems to the months are
also not used elsewhere. The first border was dez
signed in}une,1895.
42. LAUDES BEATAE MARIAE VIR,
GI N 15. Latin poems taken from a Psalterwrit/
ten in England about A.D.122.o. Edited by S. C.
' Cockerell. Large 4to.Troy type. In black, red, 86
blue. 250 on paper at ten shillings, to on vellum
at two guineas. Dated July 7, issued August 7,
1896.PublishedbyWilliam Morris.Boundinhalf ‘
holland. ,
f This was the first book rinted at the Kelms,
cott Press in three colours. he manuscript from
which the poems were taken was one of the most
beautiful of the English books in Mr. Morris's
ossession, both as regards writing and ornament.
filo author’ 5 name is given to the poems, but after
this book was issued the Rev. E. S. Dewick point;
ed out that they had already been printed atTe;
gernsee in 1579, in a 16mo volume in which they
are ascribed to Stephen Langton. A note to this
effect was printed in the Chaucer t pe in Dec.28,
1896, and distributed to the subscri ers.

41a.TH E EARTH LY PARADISE.BY
WILLIAM MORRIS.VOLUME ILflfi
APRIL: THE DOOM OF KING ACRI,
SIUS. THE PROUD KING. Medium 4to.
Golden type. In black and red. Borders 29a, 29,

48

28a, and 28. 225 on paper at thirty shillings, 6 on
vellum at seven guineas. Dated June 24, isSued

Sept. 17, 1896. Published by William Morris.

Bound in limp vellum.

43.THE FLOURE AND THE LEAFE,
8C THE BOKE OF CUPIDE, GOD OF
LOVE, OR THE CUCKOW AND THE
NIGHTINGALE. Edited by ES. Ellis. Me,
dium 4to. Troy type, with note and colophon in
Chaucer type. In black and red. goo on pa er at
ten shillings, 10 on vellum at two guineas. Bated
Aug. 21, issued Nov. 2, 1896. Published at the
Kelmscott Press. Bound in half holland.

fl Two of the initial words from the Chaucer are
used in this book, one at the beginning of each
poem. These poems were formerly attributed to
Chaucer, but recent scholarship has proved that
The Floure 8C the Leafe is much later than Chau;
cer, and thatThe Cuckow &the Nightingale was
written by Sir Thomas Clanvowe about A.D.
1405/10.

44.fifiTH E SHEPHEARDES CAI
LENDER: CONTEYNING TWELVE
.PEGLOGUES, PROPORTIONABLE
TO TH E TWE LVE MONETHES. By
Edmund Spenser. Edited by RS. Ellis. Medium
4to. Golden type. In black 8C redWith twelve full;
page illustrations by AJ. Gaskin. 2.25 on paper
at a guinea, 6 on vellum at three guineas.’ Dated

Oct. 14, issued Nov. 26,1896. Published at the
e 49

Kelmscott Press. Bound in half holland.
fl The illustrations in this book were printed
from process blocks by Walker 86 Boutall. By an
oversight the names of author, editor, and artist
were omitted from the colophon.
41b.THE EARTH LY PARADISE. BY
WILLIAM MORRIS. VOLUME Hug
MAY:TH E STORY OF CU PI D AN D
PSYCHE. THE WRITING ON THE
IMAGE.fiJUNE :THE LOVE OF AL,
CESTIS. THE LADY‘ OF THE LAND.
Medium 4to. Golden type. In black 86 red. Bor’
ders 30a, go, 27a, 27, 28a, 28, 29a,8€ 29. 225 on pa,
er at thirty shillin gs ,6 on vellum at seven guineas.
Dated Aug. 24, issued Dec. 5, 1896. Published at
the Kelmscott Press. Bound in limp vellum.
41c.TH E EARTH LY PARADISE. BY
WILLIAM MORRIS. VOLUME IV.”
JULY: THE SON OF CRCESUS. TH E
WATCHING OF THE FALCON.fi
AUGUST: PYGMALION AN D TH E
IMAGE. OGIE R THE DANE. Medium
4to. Golden type. In black and red. Borders 31a,
31. 29a, 29,.28a, 28, 30a, 8!. go. Dated Nov. 25,1896,
issuedJan. 22, 1897. Published at the Kelmscott
Press. Bound in limp vellum.
41d.THE EARTH LY PARADISE. BY'
WILLIAM MORRISVOLUME Vfi
SE PTE MBE R:THE DEATH OF PARIS.
THE LAND EASTOF THE SUN AND

50

WEST‘OF THE MOON.flOCTOBE R:
THE STORY OF ACONTIUS AND
CYDIPPE.THE MAN WHO NEVER
LAUGHED AGAIN. Medium 4to. Golden
type. In black and red. Borders 29a, 29, 27a, 27,
28a, 28,31a, and 31. Finished Dec. 24, 1896, issued
Mar. 9, 1897. Published at the Kelmscott Press.

Bound in limp vellum.

41e.TH E EARTHLY PARADISE. BY
WILLIAM MORRIS. VOLUME VLfl
NOVEMBER: THE STORY OF RHO,
DOPE. THE LOVERS OF GUDRUN.
Medium 4to. Golden type. In black and red. Borz
ders 27a, 27, 30a, and 30. Finished Feb. 18,issued
May 11, 1897. Published at the Kelmscott Press.

Bound in limp vellum. ’ '

41£THE EARTH LY PARADISE. B
WILLIAM MORRIS.VOLUME VII.
DECEMBERzTHE GOLDEN'APPL S
THE FOSTERING OF ASLAUG.fl
JANUARY:BELLEROPHON AT AR,
GOS. THE RING GIVEN TO VENUS.
Medium 4to. Golden type. In black and red. Borz
ders 29a, 29, 31a, 31, 30a, go, 27a, and 27. Finished
March 17, issued July 29, 1897. Published at the
Kelmscott Press. Bound in limp vellum.

45.TH E WATE R OF THE WONDROUS

ISLES BYWI LLIAM MORRIS. Large4to.

Chaucer type, in double columns,with a few lines

inTroy type at the end of each of the seven parts.
e 2 51

In black 86 red. Borders 16a,17a, 18a, 19, 86 19a. 250
on paper at three guineas, 6 on vellum at twelve
guineas. Dated April 1, issued July 29,1897. Pub;
lished at the Kelmscott Press. Bound in limp V611
lum.
fl Unlike The Well at the World’s End, with
which it is mainly uniform, this book has red
shoulder/notes and no illustrations. Mr. Morris
began the story in verse on Feb. 4, 1895. A few
days later he began it afresh in alternate prose and
verse;but he was again dissatisfied, and finally be,
an it a thirdtime in prose alone, as it now stands.
t was first announced as in the press in the list of
June 1,1896, at which date the early chapters were
in type,although they were not printed until about
a month later. The designs for the initial words
‘ Whilom’and ‘ Empty’were begun by William
Morris shortly before his death, and were finish,
ed by R. Catterson/Smith. Another edition was
published by Longmans on Oct. 1,1897.

41g.THE EARTHLY PARADIS E. BY
WILLIAM MORRISVOLUME VIII.fi
FEBRUARY: BELLE ROPHON IN LY,
CIA. THE HILL OF VENUSfiEPI/
LO G U E. L' E NVOI. Medium 4to. Golden
t pe. In black and red. Borders 28a, 28, 29a,& 29.
inishedJune 10, issued Sept. 27, 1897. Published
at the Kelmscott Press. Bound in limp vellum.
fl The coIOphon of this final volume of The
Earthly Paradise contains the following note:

52

‘ The borders in this edition of The Earthly Para;
dise were designed by William Morris, except
those on page 4 of volumes ii. , iii., and iv., after,
wards repeated, which were designed to match the
opposite borders, under William Morris’ s direc,
tion, by R. Catterson/Smith; who also finished
theinitialwords‘Whilom’ and ‘Empty’ forThe
Water of the Wondrous Isles. All the other let,
ters, borders, title/pages and ornaments used at
the Kelmscott Press, except the Greek type in
Atalanta in Calydon, were designed by William
Morris.’ .
46.TWO TRIAL PAGES OF THE PRO,
JECTED EDITION OF LORD BER,
NERS’ TRANSLATION OF FROIS,
SART’S CH RONICLE S. Folio. Chaucer
pe, with heading in Troy type. In black 86 red.-
order 32, containing the shields of France, the
Empire, and England, 86 a half/border contain,
ing those of Reginald Lord Cobham, Sir John
Chandos, and Sir Walter Manny. 160 on vellum
at a guinea, none on paper. Dated September, is,
sued October 7, 1897. Published atthe Kelmscott
Press. Not bound.
filt was the intention of Mr. Morris to make
this edition of what was since his college days alz
most his favourite book, a worthy companion to
the Chaucer. It was to have been in two volumes
folio,with new cusped initials and heraldic orna/
ment throughout. Each volume was to have had a

53

large frontispiece designed by Sir E.Burne’}ones;
the subject of the first was to have been St.George,
that of the second, Fame. Atrial page was set up in
theTroy type soon afterit came from the foundry,
in}an., 1892. Early in 1893 trial pages were set up
in the Chaucer type, and in the list for March 9 of
that year the book is erroneously stated to be in the
press. In the three followinglists itis announced as
in preparation. Inthelist dated Dec. 1,1893,8£in the
three nextlists,itis again announced asin the press,
8C the number to be printedis given as 150. M can;
while the printing of the Chaucer had been be gun,
85 as it was not feasible to carry on two folios at the
same time, the Froissart again comes under the
heading ‘in preparation' in the lists from Dec. 1,
1894,to}une 1, 1896. In the rospectus of the Shep}
heardes Calender, dated ov. 12, 1896, it is an!
nounced as abandoned. At that time about thirty,
four pages were in type, but no sheet had been
printed. Before the t pe was broken up, on Dec.
24, 1896, 32 copies of, sixteen of these pages were
printed 85 given as a memento to personal friends
of the poet and printer whose death now made
the completion of the book impossible.This sug,
gested the idea of printingtwo pages for wider dis,
tribution. The half/border had been engraved in
April, 1894, byW Spielmeyer, but the large bor/

er only existed as a drawing. It was engraved
with great skill and spirit by C. E. Keates, and
the two pages were printed by Stephen Mowlem,

54

with the help of an apprentice, in a manner wor,
thy of the designs.

47. SIRE DEGREVAUNT. Edited by F. 5.
Ellis after the edition printed by]. O. Halliwell.
8vo. Chaucer type. In black and red. Borders .1a 86
1, and a woodcut designed by Sir Edward Burnez
Jones. 350 on paper at fifteen shillings, 8 on vellum
at four guineas. Dated Mar. 14, 1896,issued Nov.
12,1897. Published at the Kelmscott Press. Bound
in half holland.

fl This book, subjects from which were painted
by Sir Edward Burnezjones on the Walls of The
Red House, Upton, Bexley Heath, many years
ago,was always a favourite with Mr. Morris.The
frontispiece was not printed until October, 1897,
eighteen months after the text was finished.

4.8. SYRYSAMBRACE. Edited by F. 5. Ellis
after the edition printed by J. O. Halliwell from
the MS. in the Library of Lincoln Cathedral,with
some corrections. 8vo. Chaucer type. In black and
red. Borders 4a and 4., and a woodcut designed by
Sir Edward BurneJones. 350 on paper at twelve
shillings, 8 on vellum at four guineas. Dated July
14,issued Nov. 11, 1897. Published at the Kelms/
cott Press. Bound in half holland.

fl This is the third and last of the reprints from
the Camden Society’ 5 volume of Thornton ROI
mances.The text was all set up and partly print,
ed by June, 18 6, at which time it was intended to
include ‘ Sir Egglamour’ in the same volume.

55

49. SOME GERMAN WOODCUTS OF
THE FIFTEE NTH CE NTURY. Being
thirty/five reproductions from books that were in
the library of the late William Morris. Edited,
with a list of the principal w'oodcut books in that
library,byS.C .Cockerell. Large 4to.Golden type.
In red and black. 225 on paper at thirty shillings,
8.on vellum at five guineas. Dated Dec. 15,1897,
issuedJanuar 6,1898. Published at the Kelmscott
Press. Boun in half holland.
fl Of these thirty/five reproductions twenty
nine were all that were done of a series chosen by
Mr. Morris to illustrate a catalogue of his library,
and the other six were pre ared by him for an ar’
ticle in the 4th number of ibliographica, part of
which is reprinted as an introduction to the book.
The process blocks (with one exception) were
made by Walker 86. Boutall, and are of the same
size as the original cuts.
5o.THE STORY OF SIGU RD THE VOL.
SUNG AND THE FALL OF THE NIB,
LUNGS fl BY WILLIAM MORRIS. ’
Small folio. Chaucer type, with'title 8C headings
to the four books in Troy type. In black and red.
Borders 33a 86 33, and two illustrations designed
by Sir Edward Burne/Jones. 160 on paper at six
uineas, 6 on vellum at twenty guineas. Dated
fanuary 19,issued February25,1898. Published at
the Kelmscott Press. Bound in limp vellum.
LfiThe two borders used in this book were alz

56

most the last that Mr. Morris designed. They
were intended for an edition of The Hill of Venu s,
which was to have been written in prose by him
andillustrated by Sir E. Burnezjones. The foliage
was suggested bythe ornament in two Psalters of
the last half ofthe thirteenth century in the library
at Kelmscott House. The initial A at the begin,
ning of the 3rd bookwas designed in March, 1893,
for the Froissart, and does not appear elsewhere.
fl An edition of Sigurd the Volsung, which Mr.
Morrisjustly consideredhismasterpiece,was con;
templated early in the history of the Kelmscott
Press. An announcement appears in a proof of
the first list, dated April, 1892, but itwas excluded
from the list as issued in May. It did not reappear
until the list of November 26, 1895, in which, the
Chaucer being near its completion, Sigurd comes
under the heading ‘in preparation,’ as a folio in
Troy type,‘with about twenty/five illustrations by
Sir E. Burner ones.’ In the list ofjune 1, 1896, it is
finally announced as ‘in the press,’ the number of
illustrations is increased to forty, and other par,
ticulars are given. Four borders had then been
designed for it, two of which were used on pages
470 Bi 4.71 of the Chaucer. The other two have
not been used, though one of them has been en;
graved. Two pages only were in type, thirty/two
copies of which were struck off on Jan. 11, 1897, &
given to friends, with the sixteen pages of F roissart
mentioned above.

57

51. THE SUNDE RING FLOOD WRIT,
TEN BY WILLIAM MORRIS. Overseen
for the press by May Morris. 8vo. Chaucer type.
In black and red. Border 10, and a map. goo on pa;
per at two guineas. Dated Nov. 15, 1897, issued
Feb. 25,1898. Published at the Kelmscott Press.
Bound in half holland.
g This was thelast romancebyWillialeIorris.
e began to write it on Dec. 21, 1895, and dictated
the final words on Sept. 8, 1896. The map asted
into the cover was drawn by H. Cribb for alker
8C Boutall, who prepared the block. In the edition
that Longmans are about to issue the bands of
robbers called in the Kelmscott edition Red and
Black Skinners appear correctly as Red and Black
Skimmers.The name was probably suggested by
that of the pirates called ‘ escumours of the sea’on
page 154 of Godefrey of Boloyne.

52. LOVE IS ENOUGH,OR THE FREE,
INGOFPHARAMOND:A MORALITY.
WRITTEN BY WILLIAM MORRIS.
. Large 4to. Troy type, with stage directions in '
Chaucer type. In black, red, and blue. Borders 6a
and 7, and two illustrations designed by Sir Ed,
ward BurnezJones. goo on paper at two guineas,
8 on vellum at ten guineas. Dated Dec. 11, 1897,
issued Mar. 24, 1898. Published at the Kelmscott
Press. Bound in limp vellum.

Lfl This was the second book printed in three
colours at the Kelmscott Press. As explained in

58.

the colophon, the final picture was not designed
for this edition of Love is Enough, but for the
projected edition referred to above, on page 8.

. A NOTE BY WILLIAM MORRIS
ON HIS AIMS IN FOUNDING THE
KELMSCOTT PRESSfiTOGETI—IER
WITH A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF
THE PRESS BY S. C. COCKERELL,
8: AN ANNOTATED LIST OF THE
BOOKS PRINTED THEREAT. Octavo.

Golden type, with five pages in the Troy and
Chaucer types. In black and red. Borders 4a and
' 4, and a woodcut designed by Sir E. Burnev ones.
525 on pa er at ten shillings, 12 on vellum at two
uineas. Sated March 4,issued March 24, 1898..
ublished at the Kelmscott Press. Bound in half
holland. 1
,3 The frontispiece to this book was engraved by
William Morris for the projected edition of The
Earthly Paradise described on page 7. This block
and the blocks for the three ornaments on page 9
are not included among those mentioned on page
17‘as having been sent to the British Museum.-

VARIOUS LISTS, LEAFLETS AND AN,
NOUNCEMENTS PRINTED AT THE
KE LMSCOTT PRESS. . ‘

Eighteen lists of the books printed or in preparaz
tion at the Kelmscott Press were issued to book,
sellers 8C subscribers-.The dates of these are May,

59

July, 86 Dec., 1892; March 9, Ma 20, May 27,
Aug. 1, and Dec. 1, 1893; March 31, Kpril 21,}uly 2,
Oct. 1 (a leaflet) , 8?. Dec. 1, 1894 ;July 1, 86 Nov. 26,
1895;]une 1,1896; Feb. 16, and July 28,1897. The
three lists for 1892,86 some copies ofthat forMar. 9,
1893, were printed onWhatman paper, the last of
the stock bought for the first edition of The Roots
ofthe Mountains (seep.1o). Besides these,twentyz
nine announcements, relatingmainlyto individu/
al books,were issued; 8?. eight leaflets, containing
extracts from the lists, were printed for distribu,
tion by Messrs. Morris 8: Co.

The followingitems, as having a morepermanent
interest than most of these announcements, merit
a full description:

1» Two forms of invitation to the annual gather,
ings of The Hammersmith Socialist Society on
Jan. go, 1892, and Feb. 11,1893. Golden ty e.

2* A four/page leaflet for the Ancoats rother/
hood, with the frontispiece from the Kelmscott
Press edition of A Dream ofJohn Ball on the first
page. 'March, 1894. Golden type. 2500 copies.

3 . An address to Sir Lowthian Bell, Bart. , from his
employés, dated goth June, 1894. 8 pages. Golden
type. 250 on paper and 2 on vellum.

4 A leaflet, with fly/leaf, headed An American
Memorial to Keats,together with a form of invi;
tation to the unveiling of his bust in Hampstead
Parish Church on]uly16, 1894. Goldentype. 750
copies.

‘6o

5. A slip givingthe text of a memorial tablet to Dr.
Thomas Sadler, for distribution at the unveiling
of it in Rosslyn Hill Chapel, Hampstead. Nov.,
1894. Golden type. 450 copies.

6. Scholarship certificates for theTechnical Educaz
tion Board of the London County Council,printz
ed in the oblong borders designed for the pictures
in Chaucer'sWorks. One of these borders was not
used in the book, and this is its only appearance.
The first certificate was printed in Nov. , 1894, and
was followed inJan., 1896, by eleven certificates; in
Jan., 1897, by six certificates ; and in Feb., 1898, by
eleven certificates, all differently worded. Golden
type. The numbers varied from 12 to 2500 copies.

7. Programmes of the Kelmscott Press annual
wayzgoose for the years 1892’5.These were printed
without supervision from Mr. Morris.

8. Specimen showing the three types used at the
Press for insertion in the first edition of Strange’ s
Alphabets. March, 1895. 2000 ordinary copies 8C
60 on large paper.
9.Card for Associates of the Deaconess Institution
for the Diocese of Rochester. One side of this card
is printed in Chaucer type; on the other there is
a prayer in the Troy type enclosed in a small borz
der which was not used elsewhere. Itwas desi ned
for the illustrations of a projected edition of he

House of theWolfings. April, 1897. 250 copies.

61

1
1 -«

A LIST OF THE BOOKS DESCRIBED

- ABOVE. . ' page
' 1 The Glitterin Plain (without illustrations) 21
,- 2 Poems by the§7Vay 22

3 Blunt’s Love Lyrics and Songs of Proteus 23

4 Ruskin’ 5 Nature of Gothic 23

5 The Defence of Guenevere 24

6 A Dream ofJohn Ball 24

.7 The Golden Legend 25

. 8 The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye 26

9 Mackail’s Biblia Innocentium 27

10 Reynard the Foxe . 28

' 11 Shakespeare’s Poems and Sonnets - 28
12 News from Nowhere 29

s;- ‘13 The Order of Chivalr 30
k; '14 Cavendish’s Life of\%olsey 31
15 Godefrey of Boloyne 31
.16 More’s Utopia 31
:17 Tennyson’s Maud 32
, .18Gothic Architecture, byWilliam Morris 32
19 Sidonia the Sorceress 33

20 Rossetti’s Ballads and Narrative Poems . 33
20a ,, Sonnets and Lyrical Poems 35
21 King Florus 134
22 The Glittering Plain (illustrated) 34
23 Amis and Amile 35
24 The Poems of Keats 35
25 Swinburne’s Atalanta in Calydon 36
26 The Emperor Coustans ‘ 36
27 TheWood beyond theWorld 37

62

28 The Book of Wisdom and Lies
29 Shelley’s Poems,Vol. I.
29a ,, ,, II.
291) ,, ,, III.
30 Psalmi Penitentiales
31 Savonarola, De contemptu Mundi
32 Beowulf
33 S r Perecyvelle
34 T}he Life and Death of Jason
35 Child Christopher
36 Rossetti’s Hand and Soul
37 Herrick’s Poems

38 Coleridge’s Poems

39 TheWell at theWorld’s End
40 Chaucer’sWorks

41 The Earthly Paradise,Vol. I.
4-13 n n H 11'
41b 2: n n III.
4-“: n n n IV.
41d 1: n n V
4-13 n n n VI‘
41f n n n VII.
41g ,, VIII.

42 Laudes Beatee MariaeVirginis
43 The Floure and the Leafe

44 Spenser’s Shepheardes Calender
45 TheWater of-theWondrous Isles
46 Trial ages of Froissart

47 Sire Begrevaunt

48 Sersamhrace 55
49 Some GermanWoodcuts 56
5o Sigurd theVolsung 56
51 The Sundering Flood 58
52 Love is Enough . 58
53 A Note by William Morris 59

LEAFLETS,&c.

Various lists and announcements relating

to the Kelmscott Press 59
1. Hammersmith Socialist Society,invitations 6o
2. Ancoats Brotherhood leaflet 6o
3. Address to Sir Lowthian Bell 60
4... An American Memorial to Keats 6o
5. Memorial to Dr.Thomas Sadler 61
6. L. C. C. Scholarship Certificates 61
7. Wayzgoose Programmes 61
8. Specimen in Strange’s Alphabets 61
9. Card for Associates of the Deaconess Instiz
tution for the Diocese of Rochester 61

Other works announced in the lists asin pre ara’
tion, but afterwards abandoned, were The Tgage;
dies, Histories, 8C Comedies of William Shake;
speare; Caxton’s Vitas Patrum; The Poems of
Theodore Watts’Dunton; and A Catalogue of
the Collection ofWoodcut Books, Early Printed
Books, 8C Manuscripts at Kelmscott House.The
text of the Shakespeare was to have been prepared

64

by Dr. Furnivall. The original intention, as first
set out in thelist of Mayzo, 1893,wasto print it in
three vols. folio. A trial page from Lady Macbeth,
printed at this time, is in existence. The same in,
formation is repeated until the list ofjuly 2,1895,
in which the book is announced as to be a ‘small
4to (special size) ,’ i.e., the size afterwards adopted
for The Earthly Paradise. It was not, however,
begun, nor was the volume of Mr.Watts’Dunz
ton’s poems. Of the Vitas Patrum, which was to
have been uniform with The Golden Legend, a
prospectus 8C specimen page were issued in March,
1894, but the number of subscribers did not jus’
tify its goingbeyond this stage. Two trialpages of
the Catalogue were set up; some of the material
prepared for it has now appeared in Some Ger,
manWoodcuts of the Fifteenth Century. In addi,
tion to these books,The Hill of Venus, as stated on
p. 57, was in preparation. Among works that Mr.
Morris had some thought of rintingmayalso be
mentioned The Bible, Gesta ficmanorum, Malo’
r ’s Morte Darthur,The High History of the San
éraal (translated by Dr. Sebastian Evans), Piers
Ploughman, Huon of Bordeaux, Caxton'sjason,
a Latin Psalter,T he Prymer or Lay Folk’s Prayer,
Book, Some Mediaeval English Songs 8C Music,
The Pilgrim’s Progress, and a Book of Romantic
Ballads. He was engaged on the selection of the
Ballads,which he spoke of as the finest poems in
our language, during his last illness.

65

the following passages are given to
' show the Croy & Chaucer types, and
four initials that were designed for
the froissart, but never used.

156 land is a little

  
 
   
 
  
   

narrow seas, as it
seems,tohayemueh
space for swelling
. intohugeness:there
are no great wastes
overwhelming in their drearin ess,no
great solitudes of forests, no terri-
ble untrodden mountain/walls: all
is measured, min gled,yaried, gliding
easily one thing into another: little
rivers, little plains, swelling, speed-
ilyzehan ging uplands, all beset with
handsome orderly trees; little hills,
little mountains,netted over with the
walls of sheeplwalk's: all is little; yet
notfoolishand blank, but serious

ratgaéer, and abun dantof meaning for

such as choose to seek it: it is neither Chis
prison,nor palace, butadeeent home. is the
.M LL ((115105 I N61: troy
‘CfiER praise nor type
blame, but say that

. soitiszsome people

‘ praise this homeli-

ness oyermueh, as

= if the land were the

very axleltree of the

I,nor any unblind-

ed by pride in themselves and all that -
belongs to them : others there arewho

scorn it and the tameness of-it: not

1 any the more: though it would in-

deed be hard if there were nothing

else in ,the world, no wonders, no ter-z

rors, no unspeakable beauties. Yet

when we think what a small part of

the world’s history, past, present, &

to come, is this land we live in, and
«howmueh smaller still in the history

of’ the arts, & yet how our forefathers

clung to it, and with what are and

67

       
   
  

k,

 

 

pains they adorned it, this unromantic, un-

eventfulllooking landofen glan d, surely by

50 this too our hearts may be touched and our
hope quichened.

wax-vAU-a. OK as was the land,

. such was the art of it

AR; while folk yet troub-

{95 led themselves about

0'9: such things; it strove

£9, little to impress peo-

W ple either by pomp or

 

      
  
  
  

icll1genuiityl:l not unsel-
l om it e into com-
WQ?% monplace,rarelyitrose
-* intomajesty; yetwas it never oppres‘z
sive, never a slave’s nightmare or an

- . insolent boast: & at its best it had an
{2 inventiveness, an individuality, that
" grander styles have never overpass-
ed: its best too, and that was in its
very heart, was given as freely to the
; yeoman’s house, and the humble vil-
Q lage church, as to the lord’s palace or
“Y tllze mighity catlzledral: never coarse,
‘ t ougho ten ru eenough, sweet, na-
‘U tural & unafi’ected, an art of peasants
rather than of merchantprin ces or court:

iers, it must be a hard heart, I think, that
does not love it: whetheraman has been born
among it like ourselves, or has comewonder:

ingly on its simplicity from all the grandeur this
overlseas W::m:a¢::mfi:: is the
fifififififififlfififimfiflflfi Chm“?
Hnd Science, we have loved her well, and fol: ,WpC
lowed her diligently, what will she do? I fear
she is so much in the pay of the counting-

. house, the countinglhouse and the drilllser~

geant, that she is too busy, and will for the

present do nothing.

   

      
  
   
   
   

65 there are matters
which I should have
thought easy for her,
,1 ,- say for example teach:
' 6 ing Manchester how
to consume its own
\ smoke, or Leeds how
to get rid of its super;
fiuous black dye with:
» , out turningit into the
would beas much worth

'0 the heaviest of heavy black silks,
\ or the biggest of useless guns.
Hnyhow, however it be done, un-
less people care about carrying on
their business withoutmakingthe
world hideous, how can they care
’ about art? Iknow itwillcost much
both of time and money to better
these things even a little; but I do

69

not see how these can be better spent than in
making life cheerful& honourable for others
and for ourselves; and the gain of good life
to the countryatlarge thatwouldresult from
men seriously setting about the bettering
of the decency of our big towns would be
priceless, even if nothing specially good be-
fell the arts in consequence: I do not know
that it would; but I should begin to think
matters hopeful if men turned their atten~
tion to such things, andIrepeat that, unless
they do so, we can scarcely even begin with
any hope our endeavours for the betteringof
the Hrts. (from the lecture called the Lesser
Hrts, in hopes and fears forHrt, by (Gilliam
Morris, pages 22 and 33.)

 

 
 
   

‘fiQrgfi/ofiq.

A» {31"

 

 

.. G
1 H1 1am Xmoms

7o

THIS WAS THE LAST BOOK PRINT,
ED AT THE KELMSCOTT PRESS. IT '
WAS FINISHED AT NO. XIV UPPER
MALL, HAMMERSMITH, IN THE
COUNTY OF LONDON, ON THE
FOURTH DAY OF MARCH,MDCCCXe
CVIII. SOLD BY THE TRUSTEES OF
THE LATE WILLIAM MORRIS AT
THE KELMSCOTT PRESS.

EHmeHZH.
w. t: _. 5. 285m mzmw 26,9. .8 :60.

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1898

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