[Rarebooks] FS: H. G. Wells INSCRIBED to Feminist Emily Morse Symonds

[Charles Agvent]

WELLS, H. G. THE PASSIONATE FRIENDS: A NOVEL. London: MacMillan, 1913. 
First Edition. Olive green cloth, stamped in gilt and blind. INSCRIBED 
and SIGNED on the front free endpaper by the author: "H.G. Wells/to/His 
Paston." "His Paston" was author Emily Morse Symonds (1860-1936), who 
used the pseudonym George Paston on her many novels, plays, and 
biographies. Her recurring theme was women's struggle to achieve 
independence of mind and action despite contemporary legal and social 
constraints. In his own work, Wells repeatedly expressed feminist 
sympathies. THE PASSIONATE FRIENDS is an example; here Wells laments the 
fine qualities in women that are "entangled and stifled and unable to 
free themselves from the ancient limiting jealousies which law and 
custom embody." Vladimir Nabokov considered this novel one of the most 
undervalued of the century. Bookplate on front pastedown of Henry 
Symonds, father of Miss Symonds. A fine association recording one of the 
relationships in the London circle of writing feminists, suffragists, 
socialists, and birth-control advocates. Very mild rubbing to 
extremities; foxing to endpapers though the inscription by Wells is 
largely unaffected. Much later unknown name on rear endpaper. Near Fine. 
(#011649)        $1,500.00

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