by Amy Ryan

Enter

Copyright Amy Ryan, March 29, 2000

LIS-623
Online Databases in the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Instructor: Dr. Tula Giannini
 

 Background image from William Morris Gallery
http://www.lbwf.gov.uk/wmg/free.htm
 

An early devotee of  medieval literature, he was further influenced by Ruskin’s writing on gothic architecture. Travel in Europe deepened his love of gothic architecture and literature. Initially pursuing a career in architecture (for which he had abandoned clerical studies), Morris turned to painting after developing friendships with members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, artists who shared a similar passion for the medieval. While he did not have a career as a painter, and few of his paintings survive, however he remained lifelong friends with many of this circle, and his wife, Jane Burden, was “Muse” to the most successful of these artists. And Morris continued to pursue artistic endeavors. He worked closely with architect Phillip Webb and the painters Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones.

His participation in decorating and furnishing his first homes led to the establishment of  Morris, Marshall, Faulker & Co., later Morris & Co., an influential design firm. Morris’s design ideals placed an emphasis on craftsmanship and artistry in reaction to the mass production of uninspired goods following the industrial revolution. Among the contributions made by the firm were experiments in textile design, and a revival of handicrafts such as weaving. Later the firm designed stained glass windows for a number of historic churches. Morris’s designs for furniture, wallpaper and textiles were successful at the time, and continue to influence modern designers. He is generally acknowledged to be the founder of the Arts and Crafts movement, and a great influence on the development of Art Nouveau.

Along with his success as a designer, Morris was a literary success. After giving up on painting, Morris began publishing poetry inspired by medieval themes, notably The Earthly Paradise, The Defence of Guenevere, and The Story of Jason. Some of his early poetry was first published in the Oxford and Cambridge Magazine, a literary journal which he also edited and financed. He traveled in Iceland, studied Icelandic, and with Eirikr Magnusson, translated medieval Nordic texts such as The Saga of the Volsungs. Later, one of his greatest poetic works, Sigrid of the Volsungs, was inspired by these sagas. Aside from poetry, Morris began writing in prose in the 1880s. Several prose romances on medieval and utopian themes, including News From Nowhere and A Dream of John Ball, were first published in the socialist newsletter he founded, The Commonweal. In 1891 he was offered the position of poet laureate of Britain, which he declined.

Morris combined his love for design and literature when he founded the Kelmscott Press in  1891. Inspired by 15th century manuscripts, he strove to create the ideal book. Morris designed several typefaces and produced finely-made and decorated books using a handpress and handmade materials, a total of 66 editions of 53 works. The Kelmscott edition of Chaucer’s Collected Works, designed by Morris and featuring illustrations by his friend the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Burne-Jones, is viewed as a high point in the art of the book. 

Entwined with his artistic endeavors were Morris’s social philosophies and involvement in political and cultural movements. Concerned about the restoration and destruction of landmark buildings, Morris started the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings, to which modern conservationists may owe a debt. Disturbed as much by Victorian political and social conditions as he had been by Victorian aesthetics, he was also active in socialism, founding the Socialist League in the 1880s and editing the Commonweal socialist journal in which many of his literary works first appeared. His frequent lectures on art and socialism have been published in several forms, such as “Art and Socialism” and Useful Work versus Useless Toil.” Morris participated in important demonstrations, including leading the 1887 “Bloody Sunday” demonstration in Trafalgar Square.

Morris in studied today in several contexts. He was at the center of a community of intellectuals and artists, the Pre-Raphaelites, and though not a painter was an influence on their work. Medievalists are interested in Morris as a proponent of  medieval texts, and the influence of these texts on his work. He also contributed to this field of study through his translations of medieval Nordic texts which had been previously not well known.

For historians interested in Victorian studies, Morris’s life illustrates many of the attitudes and incongruities of the Victorian period. For example, he was offered the poet laureateship of Britain after being arrested in violent socialist demonstrations, and was given an honorary degree at Oxford in the same year that he declared himself a socialist.[ii]   He is among the most influential figures of the nineteenth century.

Morris is also studied as a founder of the Arts & Crafts movement, which began in Britain and was also an important movement in America, and is recognized as significant in both fine arts and decorative arts. He continues to be a strong influence today in the arena of design and decorative arts, both artistically and philosophically. Morris’s contributions to book arts and the private press are of interest to those in this field.

Although Morris’s literary style is not popular today and is perhaps what he is least well known for currently, his literary contributions are still studied in the context of the period. His poetry continues to be examined enough to have generated a special issue in the journal Victorian Poetry in 1996.

Modern organizations with social, political, or cultural interests point to Morris’s writings as motivation. His Society for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings still actively works under his manifesto. Socialist hold his lectures and writings as inspiration.

Upon Morris’s death George Bernard Shaw was quoted as saying “You can lose a man like that by your own death, but not by his. And so, until then, let us rejoice in him.” [iii] Today it seems a great many people are keeping him alive. There seems to be something of William Morris for everyone.

[i]  Oram, Richard W. William Morris and His Circle [Online]. Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin. Available: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/hrc/morris.html [March 27, 2000] 

[ii]  Cody, David. William Morris: A Brief Biography [Online]. The Victorian Web. Available: http://landow.stg.brown.edu/victorian/morris/wmbio.html [March 27, 2000] 

[iii]  University of Michigan Special Collections Library. The Pursuit Of The Ideal: The Life And Art Of William Morris. [Online]. Available: http://www.lib.umich.edu/libhome/SpecColl.lib/intro.htm [March 27, 2000] 

The best place to begin research on Morris, whether serious or merely inquisitive, is the William Morris Homepage sponsored by the William Morris Society and City College. This extensive site offers a detailed overview of Morris’s contributions, with links to many other relevant sites. Another good general guide, particularly for those interested in the larger context of Morris’s life and work, is the Victorian Web from Brown University. This site has a large section devoted to Morris, his life and work, including Kelmscott, Morris and Co., other contemporaries in his circle, and discussion of general themes and genres with which he was involved. Also of interest to scholars would be the Victoria Research Web. This site features a searchable archive of the Victoria listserv discussion group, which would assist in identifying other individuals doing research on this topic. The site also describes scholarly journals for the field of Victorian and nineteenth-century studies, with an emphasis on literature. These sites all offer basic biographical and contextual information, include information on current events related to Morris, and offer an introduction to the scholarly community concerned with Morris and his circle.

Full text electronic versions of many of Morris’s writings are widely available online, including multiple versions of nearly all of his prose romances. The Electronic Text Center at the University of Virginia, The English Server, and the Gutenburg project all feature Morris E-books. Collections of Morris's poetry are featured on numerous sites, as are his social and political writings and speeches. Basic biographical and critical discussion of Morris is available in online reference books such as The Cambridge History of English and American Literature, and there are good articles in Britannica.com on both Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement. 

Essays and articles, mostly of a general sort, are available free of charge on the Internet. More serious critical and historical examinations of his work and influence are well represented in databases. Morris is discussed in both popular and scholarly journals in various fields: literature, art, architecture, design, book arts, politics, and general Victorian studies; and likewise in databases in the same fields. Works on Morris are well-represented in bibliographic databases in fields of art and architecture, and in specialized databases for Victorian Studies, including biographies, exhibition catalogs, contemporary writings, various editions of books written by Morris or produced by his press, critical examinations of his literature and design, his contributions and influence on cultural, artistic and political movements, and his cultural and social context. While only a small percentage of items are offered in full text, many are described in detailed abstracts.

Universities which study English literature or art and design, and special libraries in the arts, have strong collections of works about Morris represented in their online catalogs. There are numerous special collections devoted to Morris, often holding rare books produced by Morris. Particularly well represented in special collections are his Kelmscott Works. 

Archival materials may also be easily located using the Internet. While only a few sites post images of actual documents, and more for appreciation than scholarly examination, there are many catalogs and databases to identify collections for study. The British Historical Document Commission has a searchable database of  archival repositories, including more than 30 collections which feature William Morris. The British Library has a particularly large collection of Morris papers, well documented in their online catalog. 

Images of Morris designs are also easy to locate. Several exhibitions exist on the Internet, devoted to Morris’s designs for books, textiles and wallpapers. The centenary of Morris death was marked in 1996 by several exhibitions by organizations holding special collections of Morris materials, such as The University of Michigan’s Special Collections Library. Political organizations also display collections of images and documents. Several sites exist devoted primarily to his contributions to the book arts. The William Morris Homepage and the Morris Gallery both highlight his works in various media on their websites. Photographs and descriptions of the several historic buildings associated with Morris are also available. Museums such as the Tate Gallery and The Victoria and Albert feature portions of their Morris collections online. 

In the commercial arena of the Internet, there are websites selling his designs which displaying images and information. Sites on decorative arts, of interest to collectors, designers, and Arts and Crafts enthusiasts, feature Morris’s designs and discuss his influence. He also has a popular following evidenced by websites from Morris enthusiasts celebrating his life and work.

While there’s a wealth of Morris material available online, there are obvious drawbacks to using electronic resources for research. Aside from Morris’s own writings, only a small fraction of published material relating to Morris is available in the full text electronically. Very few documents have appear as scanned images. Websites are often not updated regularly and contain broken links. And catalogs of archival materials are not complete records. For identifying collections for subsequent study,  however, the Internet is an excellent tool. One could also combine an excellent bibliography from websites, online catalogs and databases. And websites provide some access to images of rare materials which otherwise could not be viewed by most people. 

1996 marked the anniversary of Morris’s death, and seems to have been a high-water mark of interest and scholarship on Morris. It is perhaps unlikely that the number of publications and exhibitions surrounding this event will be met in the near future. However, it is evident that research and discussion of his contributions and significance will continue. In June an international conference on Morris will take place at the University of  Toronto, and the Victoria Listserv features several recent discussions by those pursuing study in this area. One topic of frequent discussion seems to be what Morris would have thought of the Internet, and how to apply his theories and design principles to this new tool.

The Michigan Research Library Network Catalog MIRLYN Online Catalog. [Online].
Available: http://www.lib.umich.edu/libhome/mirlyn/mirlynpage.html [March 27, 2000]

Has good coverage of Morris, including recently published materials. The catalog includes holdings of the University Of Michigan Special Collections Library, (which held an exhibition on Morris, see below), and University Of Michigan graduate library. Includes early editions and recent publications.
Sample Records from catalog

City College Libraries of the City University of New York CUNY+ Catalog. [Online].
Available: http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/library/ [March 27, 2000]

City College, which maintains and sponsors the website of the William Morris Society (see below), has their catalog available online. Has good coverage of Morris in the general collections of the Graduate and Fine Arts divisions, including many recent publications.
Sample Records from catalog

DATABASES

Architecture Database (Dialog File 179)
Contains bibliographic records from the Architectural Periodicals Index (API) and British Architectural Library. Coverage of Morris's contributions and influence on architecture, decoration and building design and conservation. Includes articles, books and exhibition catalogs. No abstracts. Specialized.
Sample Records from file 179

Other Dialog files, the Bibliography of the History of Art  (File 190), Art Literature International (File 191), and ARTbibliographies Modern (File 56) , have good coverage of Morris's art, design and decorative arts. Includes books, catalogs, papers and articles from journals. For a specialized, scholarly audience. Files 190 and  56 have good abstracts.
Sample Records from file 190
Sample Records from file 191
Sample Records from file 56

H.W. Wilson  Humanities Abstracts Full Text  (also Dialog File 436)
Includes specialized magazines and scholarly journals in the such as Victorian Studies, Nineteenth Century Literature, and Victorian Poetry. Offers particularly good coverage of literature. The records include detailed abstracts, and some full text articles. Offers an overview of Morris's contributions to a variety of humanities disciplines.
Sample Records from database

H.W. Wilson Omni Full Text Mega
For broader coverage, this database includes the Humanities Full Text records, and also newspapers and popular periodicals for a more general audience.
Sample Records from database

H.W. Wilson Art Abstracts
Good coverage of Morris's influence on design, from specialized journals, with good abstracts.
Sample Records from database

Victorian Database [Online].
Available: http://www.victoriandatabase.com/ [March 27, 2000]

University of Alberta Literary Information and Retrieval Database Project on Victorian studies is an interdisciplinary bibliographic database for books, articles, and dissertation abstracts published from 1970 to 1999 on nineteenth century British studies. The database offers a free one month trial registration, and is also available in print or CD-ROM. It is intended for a scholarly audience.
Sample Records from database

Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals [CD-ROM].

This is a bibliographic database of 45 nineteenth century periodicals, including The Oxford and Cambridge Magazine, which Morris funded, contributed to and edited. Shows the contents of every issue of every periodical indexed,  identifies authorship of articles, including anonymous contributions, and lists for each contributor all articles written. Intended for a scholarly audience. A list of journals indexed is available at http://www.routledge.com/routledge/electronic/ wellesley/contents.html [March 27, 2000].

ELECTRONIC BOOKS

Ward & Trent, et al. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1907–21; New York: Bartleby.com, 2000. Available: http://www.bartleby.com/223/index.html. [March 27, 2000].

Chapter V. of this work, "The Rossettis, William Morris, Swinburne And Others",  by A. Hamilton Thompson, M.A., F.S.A., offers a good introduction to Morris's creative writing and that of his intellectual circle. Includes sections devoted to Morris's The Earthly Paradise, Sigurd the Volsung, and Morris’s prose narratives. Also includes a bibliography with a comprehensive listing of Morris's works, as well an criticism from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Electronic Text Center at the University of Virginia [Online].
Available: http://etext.virginia.edu/ [March 27, 2000]

Two of Morris's best know prose narratives are featured here, A Dream of John Ball, and a King's Lesson, and News From Nowhere, or, An Epoch of Rest. Includes bibliographical notes and scanned images of the cover and front matter. A Dream of John Ball includes the original illustrations.

Berkeley Digital Library's Online Medieval and Classical Library [Online].
Available: http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/ [March 27, 2000]

Site features electronic full text versions of medieval Nordic sagas translated from the Icelandic by William Morris & Eirikr Magnusson. The Story of the Volsungs includes bibliographical notes and the translators' preface co-authored by Morris. Also included are The Story of the Ere-Dwellers  and The Story of the Heath-Slayings , likewise  translated by Morris and Magnusson.

Geoffrey Chaucer: The Works. Kelmscott Press, Octovo Editions. [CD-ROM].

Southern Methodist University's Bridwell Library's copy of the Kelmscott Chaucer has been digitized on CD-ROM by Octavo Editions. Each page is represented as a high quality pdf image, which can be magnified to various degrees for study. Highlights from the digital edition, along with the full text of the commentary by Nicolas Barker of the British Library, can be viewed on the Octovo website (http://www.octavo.com/collection/chkwks.html) .

ELECTRONIC JOURNALS

Victorian Poetry  [Online].
Available: http://vp.engl.wvu.edu/ [March 27, 2000].

A peer-reviewed scholarly journal covering British and colonial poetry of the Victorian period. Includes  articles "from a diverse array of critical approaches." Issues from 1996-1998 are available free online, including a Special Issue on Morris, Autumn 1996, vol. 34, No. 3. For a specialized, scholarly audience.

William Morris Society in the United States Newsletter [Online].
Available: http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/wmorris/archive.html#usnewsletters [March 27, 2000].

Newsletter archive of the William Morris Society, in full text from October 1988 to present. Primarily devoted to news of current interest to scholars and other members of the Society, such as upcoming Morris events, calls for papers, and information on recent publications. Would be helpful in identifying leading researchers and compiling a bibliography.
Sample issue

ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS

University of Toronto English Library Representative Poetry Online. Selected Poetry of William Morris [Online].
Available: http://www.library.utoronto.ca/utel/rp/authors/morris.html [March 27, 2000]

Includes a representative sampling of Morris's poetical works, including some of his best know works such as The Defense of Guenevere and portions of The Earthly Paradise and The Story of Sigurd the Volsung. The original texts from which the electronic versions are taken are clearly noted. Includes footnotes.

Founders of the Arts & Crafts Movement 1870 - 1900 [Online].
Available: Http://www.burrows.com/found.html [March 27, 2000].

This site, sponsored by historical-design merchants J.R. Burrows & Co., is an anthology of writings on design by William Morris and contemporaries. The site includes some of Morris's well-known and influential works, but with no commentary or annotation. Highlights include the following:

Morris, William. The Decorative Arts, Their Relation To Modern Life And Progress, An Address Delivered Before the Trades' Guild of Learning (Dec. 4, 1877), originally published in London: Ellis and White, 29 New Bond Street.

Morris, William. Gossip About an Old House on the Upper Thames. Published in The Quest: Number IV. November, 1895.
Originally printed at the press of the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft, and published by Messrs. Cornish Brothers, New Street, Birmingham, England.

Morris, William. The Lesser Arts of Life. Morris's 1882 address for the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings

Wardle, George. Morris Exhibit At The Foreign Fair. Boston, 1883-84

An album of clippings regarding Vinland, a Newport, Rhode Island, house decorated by William Morris, including letters from Morris, collected by The Preservation Society of Newport County, in Newport, Rhode Island.

DIGITAL COLLECTIONS

International Institute of Social History Archival Collections. William Morris Digital Archive [Online].
Available: http://www.iisg.nl/archives/scans/morguide.html [March 27, 2000].

The International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam's William Morris manuscript collection consists mainly of scanned images of Morris manuscripts. Included are How shall we live then?, As to bribing excellence, and Why I am a communist, and a fragment of a letter to May Morris. Although the images are not of high quality they are legible and allow one to see the hand written manuscript and corrections. There is no commentary or annotation accompanying the documents.

Designs by William Morris.  [Online].
Available: http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/wmorris/designs.htm [March 27, 2000].

Part of the William Morris Society sponsored website and subject guide, this page includes links to numerous samples of Morris's work in the areas of book design, calligraphy, furniture and decorative arts, paintings and drawings, stained glass, tapestries, textiles, and wallpapers. The images are of good quality and offer thorough coverage of the range of  Morris's contributions.

ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

British Library Manuscripts Catalog [Online].
Available: http://molcat.bl.uk/ [March 27, 2000].

The British Library holds a significant collection of archival material for Morris and his circle, including papers, correspondence, and  literary manuscripts.. Using a web interface, one may search the index or descriptions. The Catalog includes detailed descriptions of holdings, including notations about the use of individual documents for scholarly publications.
Sample records from catalog

The John Rylands University Library Special Collections [Online].
Available: http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/data2/spcoll/ [March 27, 2000].

Among other holdings, the Private Press Collection includes all 53 publications of Morris's Kelmscott Press, including a vellum copy of the press's masterpiece, the 1896 edition of Chaucer's Works. A significant portion of the Special Collections are included in the Online catalog on the web. Catalog descriptions include descriptive notes on the editions.
Sample Records from catalog

SPECIAL LIBRARY

National Art Library of the Victoria & Albert Museum, Home Page [Online].
Available: http://www.nal.vam.ac.uk./ [March 27, 2000].

The Special Collections of the NAL include extensive holdings of manuscripts, papers and rare editions relating to William Morris. Although inconvenient in that it can only be search by a telnet connection, with limited searching flexibility, the catalog records include detailed descriptive notes. In addition to the special collections, the Library has good coverage of Morris in their general collection, particularly related to his design work.
Sample records from online catalog

MUSEUMS

Tate Gallery, London, Home Page [Online].
Available: http://www.tate.org.uk/ [March 27, 2000].

The Tate's website includes a searchable database of their collections, featuring a number of works by William Morris and the Pre-Raphaelites. The database provides a few details about each piece, such as size and donor's name. Images are available for some items, including the  paintings Figure of Guinevere and La Belle Iseult. The gallery is currently featuring a special exhibition Ruskin, Turner and the Pre-Raphaelites.While this exhibit doesn't include Morris's works, Morris was heavily influenced by Ruskin and the Pre-Raphaelites.

Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Home Page [Online].
Available: http://www.vam.ac.uk/ [March 27, 2000].

This museum, devoted to design and decorative art, has a large collection of Morris's designs, but only a small percentage are featured online. The site does have a searchable database, with color images, and some description. See also National Art Library, above.

William Morris Gallery, London, Home Page [Online].
Available: http://www.lbwf.gov.uk/wmg/ [March 27, 2000].

While most of the site is aimed at gallery visitors, the site features an extensive online exhibition of selected works from the Gallery's collection, including hand painted tiles, photographs of Morris and family, Morris and Company, stained glass, Morris in print, and Arts and Crafts designs. The exhibition consists of high quality images and background information for each item.

Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, Home Page [Online].
Available: http://www.whitworth.man.ac.uk// [March 27, 2000].

The Whitworth Gallery, "a specialist centre for the study and display of works on paper and textiles," maintains a collections database which includes a special collection of  William Morris Textiles, partially illustrated, and a large collection of Morris wallpapers, which are not illustrated. Unfortunately the catalog is frequently out of service.

EXHIBITIONS

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments. Centenary of the death of William Morris [Online]. Available: http://www.rchme.gov.uk/morris.html [March 27, 2000]

The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England presents a collection of photographs from the National Monuments Record. Includes modern and contemporary photos of several of Morris's homes and businesses, and work produced by Morris & Company, with descriptive commentary.

University of Michigan Special Collections Library. The Pursuit Of The Ideal: The Life And Art Of William Morris. [Online]. 
Available: http://www.lib.umich.edu/libhome/SpecColl.lib/intro.htm [March 27, 2000]

Portions of a 1996 exhibit of material held by the University's Special Collections Library is available on their website. Includes images, mainly from books, with commentary on Morris's writings, socialism, and the Kelmscott Press, and a short biography.

BIBLIOGRAPHIES

William Morris Homepage. [Online].
Available: http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/wmorris/morris.html [March 27, 2000].

The William Morris Society's website includes two good bibliographies. There is an extensive, though not complete, chronological bibliography of Morris's writings, compiled by William S. Peterson and Mark Samuels Lasner, including lectures, articles, poetry and prose. Many citations include links to full text on the site or elsewhere on the web. In addition, Books by and About William Morris, compiled by Mark Samuels Lasner, includes works by Morris, biographies, critical studies, and items about Morris and the decorative arts and book arts. Selective, with some annotation. 

Tobin, Thomas J. The Pre-Raphaelite Critic: Contemporary Criticism of the Pre-Raphaelites From 1849-1900 [Online]
Available: http://www.engl.duq.edu/servus/PR_Critic/ [March 27, 2000]

A bibliographic guide to critical reactions to Pre-Raphaelite artists and writers, including William Morris,  by their contemporaries;  is "an attempt to make available to the research community a readily-accessible source of the critical reaction to the Pre-Raphaelites, both as painters and as poets." The author of the site plans to compile full text documents.

SUBJECT GUIDES

William Morris Homepage. [Online].
Available: http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/wmorris/morris.html [March 27, 2000].

This comprehensive site is sponsored by the William Morris Society, and the Robinson Center for Graphic Arts and Communication Design of the City University of New York, and "aims to present news of Morris-related events and publications; information about the worldwide William Morris Society; materials relating to the life and work of Morris, his friends and followers; and links to other places of interest on the Internet."  Includes a brief biography, an exhibition of designs by Morris, his writings, information on places associated with Morris and on collections of his work, portraits of Morris and his circle, bibliographies, and numerous links to other online sources. A thorough guide to Morris and his work which would be of interest to both serious researchers and enthusiasts.

Victorian Research Web. [Online].
Available: http://www.indiana.edu/~victoria/  [March 27, 2000].

From Indiana University, this site is devoted to scholarly sources for Victorian research. Includes a description and links for relevant scholarly journals, a guide to doing archival research, and a guide to libraries and bibliographies. The site also includes archives of the Victoria discussion group Listserv, which may be searched and browsed.Would be a very helpful introduction to Victorian era research and the academic community.
Sample discussion list messages

Victorian Web [Online]. Available: http://landow.stg.brown.edu/victorian/victov.html [March 27, 2000].

Another extensive guide, the Victorian Web project, edited by George P. Landow, Professor of English and Art History, Brown University, is an interdisciplinary site exploring many aspects of Victorian culture. The section devoted to Morris includes biographical information and a select bibliography, and places Morris in context in terms of  politics, religion, science, genre, literary relations, visual arts, themes, characterization and imagery. There is also a discussion of  Morris & Co. The essays included are by academics from several top universities. Includes some information for a scholarly audience, but also serves as a good general introduction, and includes links to many other sources.

ARTICLES

Peterson, William S. (Fall 1994) William Morris & His Types. Serif  [Online magazine].
Available: http://www.quixote.com/serif/wp-morris.html [March 27, 2000].

This lengthy article regarding "Morris's philosophy of type design" would be of interest to those studying Morris's design theory and contributions to the book arts. The text is well illustrated with images from documents produced by or pertaining to Morris. The author also maintains a website, Modern Fine Printing, which includes significant discussions of Morris's work and Morris's essays on the subject.

Menkes, Suzy. The Art and Craft of William Morris: Not Just for the Rich. International Herald Tribune [Online edition]. Tuesday, May 7, 1996.
Available: http://www.iht.com/IHT/FASH/96/sz0507.html  [March 27, 2000].

This article, prompted by an exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum on the 100th anniversary of Morris' death, discusses the seemingly universal and enduring appeal of Morris's designs. Includes basic biographical information for a popular or general audience.

WEBSITES

William Morris Society of Canada, Home Page [Online].
Available: http://hedgerowhouse.net/wmsc.html [March 27, 2000].

Primarily devoted to society membership, the main feature of the site is information on upcoming events related to William Morris. Features an itinerary and list of presenters for the Society sponsored Morris conference in June 2000, billed as bringing together "scholars and students of Morris as an artist, writer, and socialist." The site also includes a few links to outside resources.

Wise-Lawrence, Meg. The Germ [Online].
Available: http://www.walrus.com/~gibralto/ acorn/germ/index.html  [March 27, 2000].

This site by creative writer and Morris enthusiast, is presented in an irreverent and free-form style. Includes biographical sketches of Morris, his wife Jane Burden, and other members of their circle. Attempts to relate the work of Morris and his contemporaries to modern artists.