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Rupert Brooke. Poems. London: Sidgwick & Jackson, Ltd., 1911....
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Description
Rare presentation copy to his close Cambridge friends
Rupert Brooke. Poems. London: Sidgwick & Jackson,
Ltd., 1911.8vo. Original dark blue cloth, printed label on spine; cloth folding case.
FIRST EDITION of the Poet's first regularly published book (preceded by a few school pamphlets). PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY BROOKE to his Cambridge friends Bill and Eva Hubback, on the front free endpaper: "Bill / Eva / 1911 / R.B." ADDITIONALLY ANNOTATED BY BROOKE WITH FIVE INK CORRECTIONS OR REVISIONS TO THE TEXT.
Bill and Eva (Spielman) were friends of Rupert Brooke from his days in Cambridge. Eva was a prominent figure in the Cambridge Fabian Society, and part of the group of friends that Virginia Woolf called the "neo-pagans," which included Rupert Brooke, Dorothy Layton, Helen Verrall, her sister Margery Olivier, Bill Hubback, Eva Spielman, Jerry Pinsent, and Dolly Rose.
The corrections in the text (three of which are substantial) are explained by Brooke in a letter dated 22 December 1911 to the bookbinder Sybil Pye: "When you see copies of my book, will you surreptitiously change 'Greasy' to 'queasy' (p. 35, last line), insert 'so' before 'fair' p. 32, and write 'LUST' for 'LIBIDO' p. 34?. The first two are misprints; the last is a sacrifice to my publisher's pudency" (see The Letters of Rupert Brooke, edited by Keynes, 1968). The other corrections in this copy are one typographical correction each on pp. viii and 81.
Accompanying this copy is an autograph letter signed from the poet Frances Cornford to the editor Edward Marsh, Cambridge, "Xmas Eve," [no year], 2 pp., oblong 12mo, identifying the recipients of the above copy: "... Bill & Eva Hubbard I'm sure. He was killed in the first war--a burning Fabian (what an odd combination those words, make now). She was of a rather distinguished Jewish family and a delightful person--can't remember the name ..." Also laid in is a brief utograph letter signed from Edward Marsh to an unidentified recipient [London], 25 December, [no year], one page, 12mo: "... I didn't know who Bill & Eva were, so I passed on the enquiry to Rupert Brooke's great friend Mrs. [Frances] Cornford, whose answer I enclose--please let the owner of the book have it to keep ..."
PRESENTATION COPIES OF RUPERT BROOKE ARE VERY RARE.
Condition: Spine ends bumped with a little wear at foot; minor rubbing and scratches; spine label toned and chipped with loss of the letter "P" in "Poems"; hinges tender.
References: Keynes 5.
Provenance: Estate of John F. Fleming (sale, Christie's New York, 18 November 1988, lot 50); purchased from Maggs Bros. Ltd., London. From the William A. Strutz Library.
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Auction Info
2024 June 27 Important English and American Literature: The William A. Strutz Library, Part I, Rare Books Signature® Auction #6295 (go to Auction Home page)
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