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1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun
1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun

1849 Rare First Edition - Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers by W.E. Aytoun

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$135 USD - $135 USD
$135 USD
$135 USD - $135 USD
$135 USD

Author: William Edmondstoune Aytoun.
Title: Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers and Other Poems.
Publisher: Edinburgh and London, William Blackwood and Sons, 1849. First Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 8 x 6 inches.
Pages: 282 pages.
Binding: Attractive and good to very good original Victorian publisher's deluxe blue cloth binding, beautifully decorated in gilt on the spine and boards. The gilt floral borders and spine ornaments remain bright and richly impressed. Some light wear to hinges and corners, with gentle rubbing and very minor shelf wear—overall a handsome survivor in its original state, now protected under a removable mylar cover.
Content: Very good content (pages clean, tight, and mostly bright, with some light foxing, toning near edges, and faint signs of age - as shown). Previous owner’s name neatly inscribed on the front free endpaper dated “Dec 1849,” and a later collector’s armorial-style bookplate to the pastedown.

The book: A very desirable true First Edition of Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers, one of the defining works of 19th-century Scottish patriotic poetry. Aytoun’s dramatic and evocative verses celebrate the heroism, tragedy, and romanticism of Scotland’s historical struggles—most notably in poems such as The Execution of Montrose, The Heart of the Bruce, and The Burial March of Dundee. A powerful reflection of Victorian romantic nationalism and literary vigor, this edition captures the spirit of Scottish identity and valor.

The author: William Edmondstoune Aytoun (1813–1865) was a distinguished Scottish poet, satirist, and professor of rhetoric and belles-lettres at the University of Edinburgh. A prominent conservative voice and literary figure, Aytoun is best remembered for this very work, which fused historical narrative and lyrical verse into a form that stirred pride in Scottish heritage. His influence extended through political commentary, cultural criticism, and mentorship of younger writers.