On the Visionary Work and Revolutionary Life of an Idle Idol

John Mitchinson; William Morris

Verlag: Bracketpress; Longmans, Rochdale; London, 2008

Beschreibung

The first edition of this essay on William Morris as a revolutionary. A limited edition, with a facsimile letter from the author loosely inserted. Also loosely inserted is a prospectus for this publication.This copy is numbered 52 of 200 copies printed. A fantastic copy of this carefully produced work.The facsimile letter from Morris is dated c1886 and reads: Dear Sir,I am engaged on 13 th Dec: (and on all Mondays)This is of less importance, as I don"t think I could have been of much use at the conference, as myonly suggestion would be to rescind the rule about out.o.door relief and front it freely: not of coursewith the view that this would bring about a good rate of things if it were permanent, or even thatour present system of society can be looked upon as stable, but as a measure trending towardsrevolution.I ought also to mention that I do not believe in the state, as at present constituted, being able to doanything even to palliate the existing sails as regards unemployment. Because it is necessary to thepresent system of production & exchange that there should be a mass of workmen out ofemployment; and it is the only real function of government at present to sustain this system at anycost. The purpose of any constitutional government in dealing with such matters as this of theunemployed is to draw the attention of people from the artificial famine produced by our ownsystem of production & exchange. At the same time though I am sure that the government cannotdo any one of the things which those who are agitating in favour of the unemployed are pressing onthem and though if they could be adopted by the government I doubt their permanent utility, I yetthink that the agitators are doing good service in showing the importance of our rulers and theapproaching bankruptcy of our sham society. You can make any use of this letter you please.From Dear SirYours faithfullyWilliam MorrisThis essay looks at Morris as a social reformer. It is known that Morris embraced Marxism and was influenced by anarchism before becoming a committed revolutionary social activist. Prior to his forming the Kelmscott Press he founded the 'Socialist League'.Accompanying this book is a scarce piece of ephemera from 1910 advertising an intended 'Collected Edition of the Works of William Morris' by Longmans, Green and Company. Comprising 1. An advertisement from Longmans comprising four pages explaining the intentions of this work. The final leaf lists all 24 volumes and is dated October 1910. 2: A bifolium of specimen pages from 'The Hollow Land' 4pp. 3: A Landscape Wood Engraving titled 'Psyche in Charon's Boat' designed by Edward Burne-Jones. 'Specimen illustration' is written to the top corner. 4: A Portrait of Mrs Morris by Dante Gabriel Rossetti known as 'The water Willow'. 5: An Order Form for the works which is blank.Loosely inserted to the work is a bookmark quoting Morris as saying 'If a chap can't compose an epic poem while he is weaving a tapestry, he had better shut up'.A very smart work demonstrating the scholarship on Morris. In the original quarter cloth binding. Externally, fine. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean. Fine. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 788L4

Bibliografische Details

Titel: On the Visionary Work and Revolutionary Life...

Verlag: Bracketpress; Longmans, Rochdale; London

Erscheinungsdatum: 2008

Einband: Paperback

Illustrator: Various

Zustand: Fine

Auflage: First edition.

Art des Buches: book