Werke.

Stuttgart & Tubingen: Johann Friedrich Cotta,, 1815-19. The second complete edition Second Cotta edition, revised and enlarged by Goethe, of his collected works. Volume XIII includes one folding plate depicting the genealogy of the Italian magician Cagliostro, of whom Goethe wrote in his Italian Journey, and a leaf with the words and music of an Italian popular melody that the he heard in Rome, played by a young harpist. The years 1810-19 were prolific for Goethe. He was actively composing new poetry, including his famous Persian-inspired collection of poems West-östlicher Divan, he started the journal Über Kunst und Altertum, but most interestingly he was dedicating much of his time to autobiographical writings. The first edition of his collected works was completed by Cotta, Goethe's publisher in chief and the most important German publisher of the time, in 1809. In a letter to Cotta of 1811, "reacting to Cotta's suggestion of reprinting a cheaper pocket edition of the Werke, Goethe hinted at the possibility of a second edition of his works that would contain much of the material that he had discovered during his autobiographical work" (Sachers). It was only after the end of the Napoleonic wars and after the rights of the first edition expired that Cotta finally agreed to print Goethe's revised material in 1815. The volumes contain numerous poems that were composed specially for this edition, such as the introductory lyric Vorklage appearing at the beginning of vol. I, and the collections Gott Gemüt und Welt, Sonette and Sprichwörtlich. Goethe arranged his poems into sections according to their genre, rather than following a chronological principle, and a chronology of all works up to 1818 is appended at the end of the last volume. From the significant Goethe collection of Martin Schøyen (b.1940), with his bookplate. Schøyen's private collection of manuscripts, which span all cultures and all time periods, is one of the largest and most comprehensive of its kind. 20 volumes, octavo (189 x 110 mm). Contemporary half calf, flat spines gilt ruled in compartments, red and green calf labels, marbled boards, Two volumes with red edges. With 1 folding plate and 1 leaf of sheet music in vol. XIII. Printed in gothic type. Bindings firm, spines slightly faded, discreet repair to headcap of vol. IV, calf and lettering pieces a little marked and rubbed, minor scuffs to boards, early cosmetic repair to rear board of vol. XIX, contents bright and fresh, with occasional light foxing and ink stains, expert repairs to corners of five leaves in vol. XII, tear along fore edge of title leaf of vol. XIII without loss to text, some adhesion to pp. 334-335 in vol. XVII affecting a few words. Overall an attractive set, presenting handsomely in a uniform binding. R. Sachers, Goethe's Poetry and the Philosophy of Nature: Gott Und Welt 1798-1827, 2017.