Robert Elsmere

London: Smith, Elder, 1888. Hardcover. Very good. Hardcover. 8vo. FIRST EDITION. SIGNED LETTER. Includes a one and a half page handwritten and signed letter by Ward to her publisher. Also features the bookplate of accomplished Danish actor, Jean Hersholt (1886 - 1956), which is pasted down to the front end page of Volume I. Hersholt, perhaps best known for his role as Shirley Temple’s grandfather in Heidi (1937), appeared in over one hundred films, directed several films, won a Golden Globe Award, and was nominated for an Academy Award. He was also an eminent collector of books by Hans Christian Andersen and translated many of Andersen’s fairy tales (truncated) into English. These were later published in six volumes and are still considered to be one of the best English translations. Born in Australia, British author Mary Augusta Ward (1851 - 1920) published under her married name, Mrs. Humphry Ward. She was passionate about improving education for the poor, and supported opening Oxford University to women. She helped form the Association for the Education of Women in 1878; however, she was also an anti-suffragette and served as the founding president of the Women's National Anti-Suffragette League in the early 1900s. This novel, which was a best seller in the 1800s, follows a Victorian clergyman through his religious crisis in which he doubts his faith after reading the work of German rationalist philosophers. Instead of turning to atheism, he becomes a "constructive liberal" and gets involved in social work with the poor and uneducated. It was written loosely as a response to a sermon by John Wordsworth suggesting that religious unsettlement leads to sin. Her overly sensitive treatment of the subject led to it being a great success during a time period in which it may easily have viewed as blasphemy.

A very good triple decker set in the original blue cloth with gilt titles to spines and black titles to front boards. There is a small closed tear along the exterior front joint of Volumes I.and II All volumes have minor wear and a few chips to the book cloth along the corners, edges, and hinges. Bumping to corners, minor rubbing to boards, and wear to joints. The interiors remain very clean overall. There are floral patterned end pages in first two volumes and variant chocolate colored end pages in Volume III. The set is housed in an attractive dark green half-morocco slipcase with maroon and gilt leather labels to spine. There are a few minor scuff marks to the case and a closed tear to the hinge of the tri-fold sleeve which fits within. Volume I has 371 pages; Volume II has 374 pages plus ads; Volume III has 411 pages. LIT/031908. (Inventory #: 20324)