8vo. 95pp, [5]. With. half-title and two final leaves of publisher's advertisements. Attractively bound in contemporary gilt-tooled red half-morocco, red cloth boards, contrasting green morocco floral onlays to spine, T.E.G. Original publisher's green cloth spine and board panels bound in. A trifle rubbed. Red cloth endpapers, upper hinge exposed, else internally clean and crisp. With an A.L.S. and stamped addressed envelope tipped-in to recto of front blank flyr leaf. The envelop is addressed, in the hand of Tennyson, to Richard Boyle. The letter, on stationary headed Farringford, Freshwater, Isles of Wight, reads as follows: 'My dear E. V. B. / 1000 thanks for your / cupid from / yours ever / Tennyson / Dec. 26 - 89'.

A handsomely bound copy of Tennyson's A Lover's Tale, a text that underwent many changes and has a colourful publishing history. Written in 1828, when the poet was 19 years old, it was first printed in 1833 (London, Moxton) for distribution among the author's college intimates. Only a few copies of this edition survive. Again in 1869 the poem was sent to print to accompany 'The Golden Supper' but was pulled at the last moment by the author. Only six copies were saved from destruction. In an unusual turn of events both of Tennyson's bibliographers issued unauthorised versions of the work. Shepherd in pirated pamphlets dated 1870 and 1875, eventually withdrawn but with some copies remaining in circulation; and Wise a forgery in 1870, to which he added a title page.

Eleanor Vere Boyle (1825-1916), illustrator and author, known professionally as The Hon. Mrs Richard Boyle or E. V. B., Tennyson greatly admired Boyle's work and commissioned her to illustrate his May Queen (1861).