THE INGOLDSBY LEGENDS, or Mirth and Marvels.with Notes Introductory and Illustrative by R.H. Dalton Barham

2 volumes. First of the Edition, Extensively Illustrated. Engraved frontispieces to each volume, title-pages printed in red and black, and with 40 full-page plates in Vol. I and 34 in Vol. II including the frontispieces, complete as called for with the illustrations from originals by Cruikshank, Leech, Tenniel, Du Maurier, Thackeray and Doyle, all important English artists of the age. 8vo, beautifully bound by Maclehose of Glasgow in fine red crushed morocco, the spines with raised bands, compartments lettered in gilt, marbled endleaves, top edges gilt. xix, [1], 428; xi, [1], 467, [1] pp. A lovely set, the bindings in beautiful condition, essentially as pristine, the text-blocks and plates all in very fine condition and as pristine.

Edizione: a beautiful collected edition of these classic tales, written under the ingoldsby pseudonym by richard barham, a minor canon of st. paul's, these lively stories, myths and poetry were first published in series in bentley's miscellany and the new monthly. their comic treatment of medieval legend and the quaint narrative style drew instant popularity. this printing is an especially pleasing edition with its vast complement of illustrations.<br> as a priest of the chapel royal, barham was not troubled with strenuous duties and he had ample time to read and compose stories. although based on real legends and mythology, such as the "hand of glory", they are mostly deliberately humorous parodies or pastiches of medieval folklore and poetry.<br>the collection contains one of the earliest transcriptions of the song 'a franklyn's dogge', an early version of the modern children's song 'bingo'.