first edition
1913
by Lawrence, D.H.
1913. [W. Scawen Blunt's copy] London: Duckworth and Co., 1913. Original dark blue cloth.
First Edition of Lawrence's third book, and first book of verse (following THE WHITE PEACOCK of 1911, and THE TRESPASSER of 1912); his next book, published three months after this book in 1913, would be SONS AND LOVERS. Lawrence's often-overt emphasis on sexuality caused this book to receive "mixed" reviews: the public was not yet ready for this. These are the poems of Lawrence's youth, the Nottingham and Croydon years, and in them one sees the women he knew before he went away with Frieda. Jessie Chambers, Helen Corke, Louie Burrows and perhaps others unnamed appear in the poetry [Roberts]. Roberts lists, without known precedence, four variants of the book, based on two "points": this copy is his variant (3), in the "darker, coarser" cloth, and with the "i" present on page xlv (the lack of this "i" in some copies is probably just due to type slippage). Condition is remarkably FINE. Roberts A3 (3). Provenance: armorial bookplate of "Scawen Blunt | Crabbet Park Library" -- the Sussex estate of Lady Anne (1837-1917) and Wilfrid Scawen Blunt (1840-1922). Lady Anne Noel, 15th Baroness Wentworth and the granddaughter of Lord Byron, married Blunt in 1869. Wilfrid had spent the prior decade in diplomatic service, but retired upon their marriage. He was "best known for his elegant erotic verse" [Britannica], especially his SONNETS AND SONGS OF PROTEUS (1875). The couple traveled extensively in Egypt, Asia Minor and Arabia; he was an ardent sympathizer with Muslim aspirations, and an ardent anti-imperialist -- especially opposing British policy in the Sudan. The couple established the "Crabbet Arabian Stud" farm at Crabbet Park, where he often dressed in Arab garb. (Inventory #: 15639)
First Edition of Lawrence's third book, and first book of verse (following THE WHITE PEACOCK of 1911, and THE TRESPASSER of 1912); his next book, published three months after this book in 1913, would be SONS AND LOVERS. Lawrence's often-overt emphasis on sexuality caused this book to receive "mixed" reviews: the public was not yet ready for this. These are the poems of Lawrence's youth, the Nottingham and Croydon years, and in them one sees the women he knew before he went away with Frieda. Jessie Chambers, Helen Corke, Louie Burrows and perhaps others unnamed appear in the poetry [Roberts]. Roberts lists, without known precedence, four variants of the book, based on two "points": this copy is his variant (3), in the "darker, coarser" cloth, and with the "i" present on page xlv (the lack of this "i" in some copies is probably just due to type slippage). Condition is remarkably FINE. Roberts A3 (3). Provenance: armorial bookplate of "Scawen Blunt | Crabbet Park Library" -- the Sussex estate of Lady Anne (1837-1917) and Wilfrid Scawen Blunt (1840-1922). Lady Anne Noel, 15th Baroness Wentworth and the granddaughter of Lord Byron, married Blunt in 1869. Wilfrid had spent the prior decade in diplomatic service, but retired upon their marriage. He was "best known for his elegant erotic verse" [Britannica], especially his SONNETS AND SONGS OF PROTEUS (1875). The couple traveled extensively in Egypt, Asia Minor and Arabia; he was an ardent sympathizer with Muslim aspirations, and an ardent anti-imperialist -- especially opposing British policy in the Sudan. The couple established the "Crabbet Arabian Stud" farm at Crabbet Park, where he often dressed in Arab garb. (Inventory #: 15639)
(207) 846-6070
