[Rarebooks] FS: Thomas J. Wise - Robert Browning PAULINE 1/400 copies

[Joslin Hall Rare Books, ABAA]

"PAULINE: A FRAGMENT OF A CONFESSION. By Robert Browning. A Reprint of the
original edition of 1833"

Edited by Thomas J. Wise.

London Richard Clay and Sons: 1886.
Edition limited to 400 copies.

A new edition of Robert Browning's very, very rare first work, reprinted
by his friend, bibliographer, and (eventually) a forger of the poet's
works, Thomas J. Wise. Thurman Hood in his 1933 book "Letters of Robert
Browning, Collected by Thomas J. Wise", notes-

    "Mr. Wise was a young worshipper at the great man's shrine. He soon
became a friend, and, as a member of the Browning Society, often
called on Sunday afternoons... Mr. Wise has served as central
treasurer of Browning lore, the untiring helper of Browning
biographers and scholars. The factual resources of his growing store
of letters from the poet to various correspondents have never been
exhausted... It thus becomes a tribute to the poet, in consummation of
the longest, and in spite of unusual difficulties one of the most
successful, bibliophile labors ever spent upon an English poet".

It would, of course, have been more of a tribute had it not been revealed
a year after the publication of Hood's book that Wise had also been
engaged in forging rare Browning pamphlets. But this reprinting of Pauline
was before all that, so let us return to happier times...

Augustus Muir, in his article in 'Strand Magazine' in September, 1929,
recounts the story of Browning, 'Pauline' and Wise-

    "In the year 1884 Mr. Wise first met Robert Browning and one of his
visits to the poet was an exciting one. Dr. Furnivall, a friend of
both, went along with him to 19, Warwick Crescent. Browning was in a
front room on the ground floor destroying letters and papers. He had
dragged from the top of the house an old leather trunk that had once
belonged to his father, and was dipping into it. Mr. Wise, to his
horror, saw letters of Carlyle go into the fire and a lot of
Browning's own early verses...

    "Out from the old trunk came two precious copies of the original
edition of 'Pauline'. 'If I had asked Browning for one of them I am
convinced he would have given it to me,' Mr. Wise has declared. 'But I
let the chance go'. On leaving the Browning house, he told Dr.
Furnivall how keen he was to get the book. The good Furnivall was
amused at the thrill his friend had got at a glimpse of such a prize
in duplicate. 'Write to Browning,' he said, 'and ask him for one of
the copies. Offer in return to give to a charity any sum he thinks
just'.

    "Delicacy held back Thomas J. Wise, but the story does not end here. A
few days later, James Dykes Campbell invited him to dine at his flat
in Albert Hall Mansions. Browning was the only other guest. After
dinner Mr. Wise and his host sat and smoked, while Browning, who did
not smoke, was making a leisurely tour of the bookshelves of the room.
'I see you have everything here of mine,' he said to Campbell. 'No,'
replied Campbell, 'I still lack "Pauline".' 'Oh, that gap can soon be
filled!' exclaimed Browning. 'The other morning I came across two
copies of it. One of them will be sent to you tomorrow'.

    "Here again was a god-sent chance for Mr. Wise to ask for the other.
But again he let it slip. Next day, after much wrestling of spirit, he
took Dr. Furnivall's advice and wrote to Robert Browning. But he was
too late. Browning had already decided to give the other copy to his
son."

Mr. Wise did eventually get his copy of Pauline after a long hunt, and for
a considerable price. Browning inscribed it for him-

    "I see with much interest this little book, the original publication
of which can hardly have cost more than has been expended on a single
copy by its munificent Proprietor and my friend -Mr. Wise".

And so Wise reprinted the poem. While having an original 1833 edition of
your very own might be more satisfying it will cost you a lot of money and
so for considerably less there is this Wise edition, which has the added
value of the various associations between Browning and Wise -it's almost
more fun than an original! O.K., almost... Hardcover. 5"x8", 71 pages,
original gray boards with a paper spine label label rubbed; top 1" of
spine covering lacking; tips bumped.  $200.00



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