William Morris

1891

Book, language: English, publisher: Kelmscott Press, ISBN: N/A.
Materials: ink, paper

Collection: Collection M HKA, Antwerp (Inv. no. B 2027/734).

Literary synopsis The fantastic romance *The Story of the Glittering Plain* was "serialised initially in four parts. It would be the first book printed by another famous Morris creation: The Kelmscott Press. Books published by the Kelmscott Press (there were to be 53 titles in 66 volumes in the years 1891 to 1898) have been called the most beautiful books ever printed, and the Kelmscott Chaucer is justly famous. *The Glittering Plain* is a rambling, discursive and tricky book. It is set in a land of confederated tribes, without a king, where nothing is what it seems. Activated by dreams, it is sustained by lies. Its central theme is of immortality offered but denied because of love. The book appeals more to emotion than to logic, though its dreamy plot does make sense. The heroine is kidnapped because the Undying King desires her. People lie to the pursuing hero because they fear the King’s power. (There seems to be a vein of humour at the basis of the book. The heroine is called The Hostage, and she is imprisoned on the Isle of Ransom, so the solution to her disappearance is always before the hero’s eyes yet he ignores it.)" - Ian Covell, *Dreamer of Dreams*, 2006 [Dreamer of Dreams](http://efanzines.com/Covell/index.htm) [Download book](http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2565).