THE POEMS OF JOHN KEATS: The Definitive Edition.

First UK edition, first printing. Original light grey cloth lettered and ruled in silver on a blue background to the spine, in the dustwrapper and rarely seen publisher's card slipcase. Upper edges coloured blue. A fine copy, the binding square and firm, the contents bright and clean throughout. In the very near fine, bright, unclipped dustwrapper (£18.00 to the front flap), a few spots to the verso. The card slipcase shows a few light surface marks and a touch of rubbing to corners. A lovely, bright copy of the uncommon first edition of Stillinger's definitive edition of Keats' poems

Stillinger's edition, published simultaneously by the Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, remains the standard scholarly edition of Keats' poems, building upon the research published earlier in 'The Text of Keats's Poems' (1974). Owing to the complexity of manuscript materials and manifold inconsistencies and errors in first printings, there had never been a completely reliable edition of Keats' poems until the arrival of this edition. Based on a systematic investigation of all existing manuscript and printed materials, Stillinger's readings represent, as exactly as can be determined, Keats' preferred versions of each poem. Arranged chronologically, with variants at the foot of each page, the poems are followed by extensive textual and critical notes.