The volume was issued in light brown paper-covered boards, at 7s. 6d., and our poet says in a letter to Charles A. Brown: "My book has had good success among the literary people, and I believe has a moderate sale." And again he writes on this subject to Mr. Brown, August, 1820: "The sale of my book is very slow, though it has been very highly rated. One of the causes, I understand from different quarters, of the unpopularity of this new book, is the offence the ladies take at me. On thinking that matter over, I am certain that I have said nothing in a spirit to displease any woman I would care to please; but still there is a tendency to class women in my books with roses and sweetmeats,--they never see themselves dominant." On the verso of the title-page of some copies, and at the end of the book, we find _London: Printed by Thomas Davison, Whitefriars_, a guarantee for the excellence of the typography, the key-note of which is struck in the admirably arranged title-page. Duodecimo. COLLATION: _3 ll., 199 pp._ PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY (1792-1822) 73. Adonais | An Elegy On The Death Of John Keats, | Author Of Endymion, Hyperion Etc. | By | Percy. B. Shelley | [Quotation] Pisa | With The Types Of Didot | MDCCCXXI. Charles Ollier, the publisher, received the following interesting letter from Shelley, dated at Pisa, June 8, 1821: "Dear Sir,--You may announce for publication a poem entitled "Adonais." It is a lament on the death of poor Keats, with some interposed stabs on the assassins of his peace and of his fame; and will be preceded by a criticism on "Hyperion," asserting the due claims which that fragment gives him to the rank which I have assigned him. My poem is finished, and consists of about forty Spenser stanzas. I shall send it you, either printed at Pisa, or transcribed in such a manner as it shall be difficult for the reviser to leave such errors as _assist_ the obscurity of the "Prometheus." But in case I send it printed, it will be merely that mistakes may be avoided; [so] that I shall only have a few copies struck off in the cheapest manner." The latter course was finally decided upon. The manuscript was sent to the printer at Pisa on June 16, 1821, and the first finished copy, in a blue, ornamented paper wrapper, was received July 13. This was not slow work, and the more remarkable when it is known that there are very few printer's errors in the book. This accuracy is due to the great pains Shelley took in revising the proofs.