THE POETICAL WORKS OF JOHN MILTON. With A Life of the Author, by William Hayley

3 volumes. First edition of this Boydell issue, the first edition with the plates by Richard Westall, and a magnificent presentation copy, given by Lord Lansdowne, the first Marquis of Landsdowne to the French diplomat, M. Chauvet, who for many years resided at Kensington in London. An especially large copy. With 32 fine large plates, being the 28 plates by Richard Westall and 4 portraits of John Milton. Folio (41 x 30 cm), very finely bound in exceptional full contemporary bindings of crushed red morocco, French in style with fine gilt rolled borders within gilt ruled frames on all covers, each frame with corners formed with central gilt circular devices, the spines with flat gilt ruled bands creating compartments decorated with small gilt central star burst tools, one compartment lettered in gilt, a second with gilt volume numbers and additional gilt lettering at the bottom of the spines, gilt tooled edges to the covers and gilt turn-ins, marbled endpapers, a.e.g. cxxxiii, 213; 286; 300, [4] pp. A most beautiful and exceptional set.