The Poetical Works of John Milton. With a Life of the Author by William Hayley (3 Volumes)

London: Printed by W. Bulmer & Co., Shakespeare Printing-Office, for John & Josiah Boydell, and George Nicol. From the Types of W. Martin., 1794, 1795, 1797.. First Edition. Full Gilt and Blindstamped Morocco. Near Fine. Folio, 32 by 26 cm. cxxxiii, [3], 213, 286, 300 pp. 32 hand-colored mezzotint plates within the 3 volumes, one plate folding. Among them are three reproductions of Milton portraits, including Milton as an infant, as a boy, and the famous Romney painting of the blind Milton dictating to his daughters, this plate being the folding one. To our knowledge, this copy of the Boydell Milton is an uniquely hand-colored copy. All the plates other than the Milton portraits are the artwork of Westall. These have an unmistakable affinity to the heroic style of Blake, his contemporary. The men and even the women can have exaggerated bulging muscles, as found most famously in Michelangelo. As invited by Milton's epic, light contends with dark, and the illustrations serve up a phantasmagoria of imagery, with swirling shadows and specters. The hand-coloring is of a very high caliber, and we think greatly enriches the mezzotints. The three volumes contain all the major poetry of Milton -- "Paradise Lost", "Paradise Regained", "Samson Agonistes", "Comus", etc. etc. Note all half-titles are present. Binding of a rich russet/crimson straight-grained morocco, with bands of blindstamping and gilt-stamping decoration on the boards, and gilt decoration within and on the raised bands. Decoration consists of ruling, Greek palmettos, and more floral rinceaux bands. Conditiion: morocco binding with minor abrasions and wear. One leaf with repaired tear (Vol. II, pp. 103/4). Pages generally clean, plates bright. All volumes tight.