Alfred Lord Tennyson - 'The Complete Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson'

Nik's Bookstore item-no.: 1-B019
Macmillan and Co., Limited. London 1907. 901 pages.

Finely bound by Bickers and Son in tree calf bordered with foliate gilt ruling. Central gilt motif of the 'Girls Public Day School Trust Bromley High School' to front boards, raised bands, brown label and gilt decoration to spine.All edges vividly marbled, matching marbled endpapers, board edges decorated with gilt. With frontispiece portrait of Lord Tennyson. Binder's stamp on ffep. With a neat inscription on the flying leaf. Some minor foxing on the first pages otherwise internally clean and bright.

This is a very decorative book which contains the work of the famous Victorian poet. The motto "Knowledge is now no more a fountain sealed" is a quote from the poem "The Princess":

"This blank verse narrative poem by Tennyson (1809–1892) is a satire on the state women's education. The narrative centres on a princess who sets up a University for women, although her plans are disrupted by the intrusion of a prince. The inspiration for the poem came from contemporary debates on women's education and whether or not they should be admitted to Universities. The poem was published in 1847,  just before Queen's College, London opened and became the first institution in the UK to allow women to study for and gain academic qualifications." (Royal Collection Trust)