Lalla Rookh: An Oriental Romance. Illustrated with Engravings from Designs by Richard Westall R.A. London: Longman, 1840. A New Edition. Small 8vo. Pp 376. Finely bound in full crushed green morocco boards, Upper & lower boards with Irish harp in gilt within double ruled lines, spine compartments embellished in gilt; inner dentelles, all edges in gilt. Minor scuffing to covers, overall a very handsome copy.

When first published Lalla Rookh (1817) was a publishing phenomenon of the Regency era. The poem sold out six editions within six months of its initial publication in 1817, and Longmans would eventually publish nearly 100,000 copies, including lavishly illustrated editions featuring artists such as John Tenniel and Daniel Maclise.

A work that satisfied the era’s appetite for exotic romance while allowing Moore to embed his characteristic concerns—religious tolerance, the dangers of fanaticism, and oblique commentary on Irish politics.