William Morris: Poet, Craftsman, Socialist

The personal life of William Morris is already known to us through Mr. Mackail's admirable biography as fully, probably, as we shall ever know it. My own endeavour has been to present a picture of Morris's busy career perhaps not less vivid for the absence of much detail, and showing only the man and his work as they appeared to the outer public.

I have used as a basis for my narrative, the volumes by Mr. Mackail; William Morris, his Art, his Writings, and his Public Life, by Aymer Vallance; The Books of William Morris, by H. Buxton Forman; numerous articles in periodicals, and Morris's own varied works.

I wish to express my indebtedness to Mr. Bulkley of 42 East 14th Street, New York City, for permission to reproduce a number of Morris patterns in his possession, notably a fragment of the St. James's wall-paper.

Much material for the letter-press and for the illustrations I have obtained through the Boston Public Library. The Froissart pages were found there and most of the Kelmscott publications from which I have quoted.

The bibliography is that prepared by Mr. S. C. Cockerell for the last volume of Mr. Morris issued by the Kelmscott Press, under the title of A Note by William Morris on His Aims in Founding the Kelmscott Press. To the Cockerell bibliography have been added a few notes of my own.

E. L. C.

BROOKLYN, Sept. 10, 1902.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I.--BOYHOOD 1

II.--OXFORD LIFE 21

III.--FROM ROSSETTI TO THE RED HOUSE 46

IV.--MORRIS AND COMPANY 69

V.--FROM THE RED HOUSE TO KELMSCOTT 96

VI.--POETRY 114

VII.--PUBLIC LIFE AND SOCIALISM 146

VIII.--PUBLIC LIFE AND SOCIALISM (Continued) 174

IX.--LITERATURE OF THE SOCIALIST PERIOD 194

X.--THE KELMSCOTT PRESS 219

XI.--LATER WRITINGS 239

XII.--THE END 255

BIBLIOGRAPHY 269

INDEX 291

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page

William Morris Frontispiece From Life.

Title-page of "The Oxford and Cambridge Magazine" 32

Portrait of Rossetti 36 By Watts.

Illustration by Rossetti to "The Lady of Shalott" in the Moxon "Tennyson." The Head of Launcelot is a Portrait of Morris 42

Portrait of Jane Burden (Mrs. Morris) 58 By Rossetti

Wall-Paper and Cotton-Print Designs 60

"Acanthus" Wall-Paper

"Pimpernel" Wall-Paper

"African Marigold" Cotton-Print

_"These designs must not be taken as exact as to colour afterwards used, Mr. Morris using the colours to his hand and afterwards superintending the actual colouring in the course of manufacture, in most cases many experimental trials being made before the desired colouring was actually decided upon."_

Reproduced from examples obtained by courtesy of Mr. A. E. Bulkley.

The Morris designs in this book were reproduced by permission of Messrs. Morris & Company.

"The Strawberry Thief" Design for Cotton-Print 66

Tulip Design for Axminster Carpet 70

Peacock Design for Coarse Wool Hangings 72

Painted Wall Decoration Designed by Morris 76

Painted Wall Decoration Designed by Morris 80

Design for St. James's Palace Wall-Paper 82 Reproduced from sample obtained through courtesy of Mr. Bulkley.

Early Design for Morris Wall-Paper "Daisy and Columbine" 84

Chrysanthemum Design for Wall-Paper 84

Anemone Pattern for Silk and Wool Curtain Material 88

Portion of Hammersmith Carpet 90

Secretary Designed by the Morris Co. 94 In possession of Mr. Bulkley.

Sofa Designed by the Morris Co. 94 In possession of Mr. Bulkley.