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The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, published in 1858 by Sampson Low, Son & Co., is a distinguished nineteenth-century edition of one of the defining poems of the Romantic movement. First composed in 17971798 and originally published in Lyrical Ballads,The Rime of the Ancient Mariner remains one of the most enduring works in English literature. This 1858 Sampson Low, Son & Co. printing reflects the continued Victorian appreciation of Romantic poetry and presents the mariner's tale to a mid-nineteenth-century readership in a finely produced standalone volume.
In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Coleridge tells the story of a sailor who, after impulsively killing an albatross, brings misfortune upon his ship and crew. The poem unfolds as a supernatural moral drama, rich in Gothic atmosphere and vivid maritime imagery. Themes of guilt, penance, redemption, and reverence for the natural world permeate the narrative, while The Rime of the Ancient Mariner 's musical language and striking symbolism establish it as a cornerstone of Romantic imagination. The spectral ship, the silent sea, and the cursed mariner himself have become iconic figures within the English literary canon.
The 1858 Sampson Low, Son & Co. edition of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is particularly desirable to collectors of Victorian poetry and Romantic literature. It represents a period when Coleridge's reputation was firmly established and his works were being preserved for new generations of readers. This volume offers not only a powerful poetic experience but also a tangible connection to the enduring legacy of one of England's greatest poets.
Condition: Fair - Original 1858 Sampson Low, Son & Co. edition in green embossed cloth with decorative gilt panel to the upper board. The binding remains visually attractive, with crisp blind-stamped decoration and a bright central gilt panel. The spine lettering is faded, and there is noticeable wear with damage to the tail of the spine consistent with age and handling. Boards show general shelf wear with light rubbing to extremities. The gilt text block edges are well preserved, remaining clear and bright, enhancing the book's overall presentation.
Internally collated and complete with all pages and all 26 illustrations present. A contemporary ink gift inscription dated 5 December 1860 appears on the verso of the front endpaper, adding period character. The leaf between the endpaper and title page has a tear of approximately 6 cm at the inner margin.
Clear plate guards between pages 8 & 9 (4 cm tear at lower inner margin), 16 & 17 (3 cm tear), and 28 & 29 (9 cm tear) show additional tearing, while a 4 cm tear is noted at the upper edge from page 49 through to the leaf between pages 50 and 51. The text block is foxed throughout, typical of the period, though illustrations remain well defined.
Despite the noted faults, this copy of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner remains structurally intact and presents as a handsome mid-Victorian illustrated copy, retaining its original decorative binding and strong shelf presence for collectors of Coleridge and nineteenth-century poetry.
