WORDSWORTH, William. The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth. A New Edition. [With tipped in autographed letter].
London: Edward Moxon, 1845
[with:]
MARSH, Wilmot. Biblical Versions of Divine Hymns with Annotations.
London: Hamilton, Adams & Co. and Seacome & Prichard, 1845
£ 6,000
I: 8vo (234 x 152mm); pp. [4], xxiv, 619, [1]; with steel engraved portrait frontispiece and additional steel engraved title page, title within single ruled frame; 3 page tipped in autographed letter to front free endpaper, ink inscriptions to front pastedown and second flyleaf; light spotting at beginning and end of volume; bound in contemporary bottle-green morocco by James Hayday [stamp to front endpaper verso], both covers with a frame of gilt dentelle within double gilt ruling, a further frame of gilt ornaments and double blind rule, raised bands, six compartments one of which with gilt title, others with richly ornamented decoration of flowers, acorns and arabesques in gilt, date and place of publication to bottom of spine, board edges and turn-ins in patterned gilt, all edges gilt, in a contemporary diced calf slipcase, lettered in gilt ‘Wilmot Marsh’ to one cover and remains of brass clasp, interior of light blue moiré silk; very light scuffing but in excellent condition.
II: 8vo (211 x 132mm); pp. [2], 758; text within single rule frame; very minor foxing to first leaves; contemporary red morocco, both covers with single ruled gilt frame, flat spine with gilt frame and lettering, board edges and turn-ins patterned gilt, all edges gilt, red marbled endpapers, purple silk marker; headband slightly detaching and minor scuffing to joint, in very good condition.
First edition thus of Wordsworth’s poems in a fine presentation binding. This binding was commissioned from James Hayday likely by the publisher of the work, Edward Moxon, and several copies found in institutions and in circulation were inscribed by Wordsworth to family members. This volume includes a tipped in signed letter by the author, written in Rydal Mount and dated February 4th 1846, which reads: ‘My Dear Sir. Pray accept my sincere thanks for your valuable present of your book entitled Biblical versions. I am happy to say that being so beautifully bound the careful packing secured its arrival without injury. I have read a good deal of it with pleasure and instruction, and found the extracts curious for many reasons. It is at present lent to an excellent friend of mine, who will know him to value it and for whose sake I have parted with it for the few days that he is to remain in this country. Repeating my thanks for this valuable work of your same attention, I remain my dear sir with every good wish sincerely yours much obliged Wordsworth… P.S. If this note be redirected by prefixing the word Revd to your name, pray excuse the error, into which I have been led by the date Bangor Rectory and the sacred character of the volume.’
The author of the second work and recipient of Wordsworth’s letter is likely to be John Murdoch Wilmot Marsh (1819-1848), of whom not much is known except for his studies at Jesus College, Oxford (Foster, Alumni Oxonienses 1715-1886, v.3). He was the son of John Marsh (1747-1823), a Commissioner, Comptroller and Chairman of the Victualling Board of the Navy, and brother of Reverend George Augustus Eliott Marsh (1790-1867), Rector of Bangor Iscoed Monachorum (Bangor-on-Dee Parish, Wales), whom Wordsworth appears to have him confused with.
Provenance
Wilmot Marsh – his ink inscription to flyleaf ‘Wilmot Marsh Feby 1846’
Unknown – blue ink inscription to front pastedown ‘from A. [I. M.?] to J. C. D.’
References
Healey, Cornell Wordsworth Collection 136; Reed, Bibliography of William Wordsworth, A78 variant 8, pp.181-183.