[Rarebooks] FS: 1886 Forger Thomas Wise Reprints Rare Robert Browning

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

TITLE: “Pauline: A Fragment of a Confession. By Robert Browning. A Reprint
of the original edition of 1833”

By Robert Browning& Thomas J. Wise (editor).
Printed in London by Richard Clay and Sons in 1886.
Edition limited to 400 copies.

DISCUSSION: 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.  Oh well.

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."

Thomas J. 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 (good and bad, fortunate and
unfortunate) between Browning and Wise -it's almost more fun than an
original! O.K., almost...

DESCRIPTION: Hardcover. 5"x8", 71 pages, original grey boards with a paper
spine label.

CONDITION NOTES: Label rubbed, top 1" of spine covering lacking; tips
bumped, light cover soil.

PRICE: $125 -

SOME PICTURES =>

<http://www.joslinhall.com/images387/th-38817-cover.jpg>
<http://www.joslinhall.com/images387/th-38817-page1.jpg>
<http://www.joslinhall.com/images387/th-38817-page2.jpg>

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