A Leaf from the Kelmscott Chaucer

1888–1896

Fantasy romances: from “The House of the Wolfings” to “The Well”

In December 1888 the Chiswick Press published “The House of the Wolfings”, a reconstructed portrait of the life of ancient Germanic-speaking tribes of the Iron Age; it was followed by “The Roots of the Mountains” (1889), “The Story of the Glittering Plain” (1890), “The Wood Beyond the World” (1894) and “The Well at the World’s End” (1896).

December 1894

His mother, Emma Morris, dies

In December 1894 his mother, Emma, died at the age of 90; it was a heavy blow to Morris.

1896

The Chaucer edition: the summit of his work with Burne-Jones

In 1896 the edition of the works of Geoffrey Chaucer appeared — one of the peaks of Morris’s collaboration with Burne-Jones: Burne-Jones made the illustrations, while Morris devised three typefaces — Golden, Troy and Chaucer — and framed the text in intricate floral borders resembling illuminated medieval manuscripts.

January 1896

His last lecture: “One Socialist Party”

Freed from internal factional struggle, he gave up his anti-parliamentary position and worked for socialist unity; in January 1896 he delivered his last public lecture, “One Socialist Party”.

July 1896

A Norwegian cruise and his last months

In July 1896 he went on a cruise to Norway; his health deteriorated on the trip and he began to hallucinate, and on returning home he became a complete invalid, visited by friends to the end.

3 octobre 1896

Died