The Banks of Wye 1813 Robert Bloomfield Illustrated Poem Second Edition
 
Title
 
The Banks of Wye: A Poem in Four Books By Robert Bloomfield
 
Publication Details
London: Printed in 1813 for B. and R. Crosby and Co.
Second Edition, Corrected
Small octavo (sm8vo)
 
Collation
(viii) + 133pp + (i) + (i) advertisements
Complete with four engraved plates, including the frontispiece and three further illustrated plates – all present.
 
Features
Second edition, corrected (1813)
Complete in one volume, containing all four books
Original two-tone paper boards
Four engraved plates, including frontispiece
Contemporary bookseller’s stamp to front pastedown
Early nineteenth-century travel-poem format
Untrimmed, uneven page edges typical of the period
 
Bibliographic Details
 
Author: Robert Bloomfield (1766–1823)
Title: The Banks of Wye: A Poem in Four Books
Publisher: B. and R. Crosby and Co., London
Date: 1813
Edition: Second edition, corrected
Format: sm8vo
Illustrations: Four engraved plates (complete)
Binding: Original publisher’s two-tone paper boards
Language: English
 
Exterior Condition
 
Bound in its original two-tone paper boards, retaining early spine remnants of a pasted label. The boards are intact but well-worn, consistent with over 210 years of age. Wear includes:
Rubbing, scuffing, and surface marks
Bumping to corners
Edge wear with small losses
Heavy wear and rubbing to the spine
Partial split along the long edge of the spine near the head, adjoining the front board
Despite this, the binding remains structurally sound and has clearly stood the test of time.
 
Interior Condition
 
Internally a remarkably neat copy for its age:
Pages lightly toned, with occasional darker patches of age-related tanning
Small areas of rubbing to inner margins of the frontispiece and title page, not affecting text or engraving
Pages largely clean, bright, and predominantly uncreased
Untrimmed, uneven edges consistent with early nineteenth-century production
Occasional small edge nicks from historic opening with a penknife, not affecting text or plates
Light, partial gutter cracks between:
Front pastedown and front free endpaper
Frontispiece and title page
Contemporary ink marks and a small bookseller’s stamp to the front pastedown (Penny, bookseller, Cheap Street, Frome)
No loose pages
No missing pages
No intrusive pen or pencil annotations
All plates are securely bound and present.
 
About the Book
 
The Banks of Wye is a poetic travel journal recounting Robert Bloomfield’s journey along the River Wye through Gloucestershire and South Wales during the summer of 1807. Written in four books, the poem combines topographical observation with reflective verse, capturing the Romantic fascination with landscape, history, and rural life. The engraved plates enhance the work’s documentary and aesthetic appeal, illustrating notable landmarks along the route.
 
About the Author
 
Robert Bloomfield (1766–1823) was an English poet associated with rural and pastoral verse. Rising from a working-class background, he achieved notable literary success with The Farmer’s Boy and became one of the most widely read poets of the early nineteenth century.
 
Rarity and Market Context
 
Early nineteenth-century poetic travel works in original paper boards are increasingly scarce, particularly when complete with all engraved plates. While later bindings are more common, copies retaining their original boards, even in worn condition, are highly desirable to collectors for their authenticity and historical integrity.
 
Collector Notes
 
Original paper boards retained
Complete with all four engraved plates
Early provincial bookseller’s stamp adds provenance interest
An honest, unrestored copy showing genuine age and use
Particularly appealing to collectors of Romantic poetry, topographical literature, and early illustrated books
 
Dimensions & Weight
 
Approx. 17.8 × 11 × 1.4 cm
Weight: c. 190 grams