Jerusalem Delivered: An Heroic Poem

London: J. Johnson; Cuthell and Martin; Otridge and Son; J. Walker; R. Lea; J. Nunn; Lackington, Allen and Co.; Longman and Rees; Cadell and Davies; Vernor and Hood; J Mawman, 1803. Hardcover. Very Good. 8th edition, 6.5"x10", 339 pp., 335 pp., Vol. 1: grey endpapers, frontispiece, title page, dedication, advertisement, preface, "The Life of Tasso" historical note, black and white plates with onionskin throughout the text. Vol 2: grey endpapers, title page, text, index. Description: 3 quarter red leather, marbled red paper covered boards with marble gilt design overlay, 5 raised bands to spine, gilt titles and designs to spine, fore-edge and bottom edge marbled. 12 black and white plates throughout. Condition: Both volumes; minor loss to top edge and corners of boards, head and tail of spine rubbed, gilt bright, foxing to plates but text clean and unmarked. Vol 1; 1.5"x0.5" loss to paper on rear board (see photo), frontispiece has offset to title page. Jerusalem Delivered is an epic narrating the First Crusade that exists at the intersection of mythology and history. The poem was hugely successful, and sections or moments from the story were used in works in other media all over Europe, especially in the period before the French Revolution and the Romantic movement, which provided alternative stories combining love, violence, and an exotic setting.