Matthews-Shelley Collection

A collection of about 220 printed items related to the life and work of Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822). The collection was created by the Shelley scholar Geoffrey M. Matthews (1920-1984), who was Professor of English at the University of Reading.

The collection features a number of rare early editions of Shelley’s work, including a first edition of the important Galignani publication ‘The Poetical Works of Coleridge, Shelley and Keats’ (Paris, 1829); works by authors to influenced Shelley, such as the rare Dublin edition of Godwin’s An enquiry concerning political justice (1793);  Classic authors that were translated by Shelley (e.g. Euripides); and 18th century books about Italy and other places associated with Shelley, including Eton and Pisa (see Morrona’s Pisa antica e moderna, 1821). There are also a number of fine illustrated editions of Shelley’s work, a rich selection of Shelley Society publications and other scholarly journals (e.g. Bulletin of the Keats-Shelley Memorial Rome), a number of early editions of other Romantic poets’ works and research articles by Matthews and his contemporaries.

The collection is fully catalogued and searchable via the catalogue.