Isabella Or The Pot Of Basil

Today I reread and scanned

Beside the title page I have shown the front board.

Each of the first 62 stanzas is part of a pair in a decorated border. The 63rd stands alone on the final page. I have chosen not to reproduce the intermediate verses, but to include each of the double spreads

illustrating selected lines.

There are numerous analyses and observations on this classic romance from 1820, so I won’t attempt any.

MacDougall’s 1898 illustrations are worthy examples of the golden age of illustration, produced on good cartridge quality hand made paper originally uncut.

50 comments

  1. When I looked at these, my first thought was of William Morris. Then, I saw the date, and felt vindicated. It was in 1880 that Morris declared to a Birmingham audience, “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” I’d suspect a bit of Morris’s influence in MacDougall’s 1898 illustrations.

  2. What a beautiful book to have in your collection! My eyes have feasted well on what you have shown us of it.

      1. You’re welcome, Derrick. I hadn’t heard of the Kelmscott Chaucer, so I checked it out online. I see what you mean about being difficult to read!

  3. I think that they are some of the most beautiful illustrations that you have ever shown us. They all look like William Morris was heavily involved.

  4. Gorgeous! I’ve not read this one so I will make a point of it this week.
    I can never wrap my head around Keats’ great body of work and yet he died at a mere 26.

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