Lucille by Owen Meredith, 1800s Illustrated Antique Gilt Hardcover Book

Lucile” by Owen Meredith (pseudonym of Edward Robert Bulwer-Lytton) was published in New York by The Arundel Printing and Publishing Co. This richly illustrated edition features black-and-white full-page plates throughout the text, adding visual depth to Meredith’s enduring narrative poem. First published in 1860, Lucile was widely admired in its time for its romantic verse and dramatic themes, and it became a popular gift book in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

This novel-in-verse is a fascinating example of narrative poetry, written entirely in rhyming couplets. Set in the grandeur of Europe, it tells the story of Lucile, a noblewoman entangled in a web of romantic and emotional complexities. Its elegant style and engaging plot made it a literary sensation in its time, influencing other writers and cementing its place as a quintessential example of Victorian literature.