8vo. 164pp. Contemporary gilt-tooled green morocco, later rebacked, partially preserving contemporary backstrip. Marbled endpapers, A.E.G. Lightly rubbed and marked. Very occasional light scattered spotting.

The first edition, published anonymously, of English poet Samuel Rogers' (1763-1855) most renowned poetry collection, inspired by an excursion to Italy in 1815. A second volume, with the author's name attached, was published in 1828. Printed at the author's own expense, the first edition of the work was poorly received; Rogers had the unsold copies destroyed and undertook extensive revisions, issuing a lavishly illustrated edition, with engravings commissioned from J. M. W. Turner, Thomas Stothard and Samuel Prout. Released in 1830, it proved critically and commercially successful. Upon the death of Wordsworth, Rogers was offered the position of Poet Laureate, which he declined.