[Rarebooks] FS: Unique Manuscript, , Written at the age of 11, by One of America's Leading Nature Writers

[Charles Agvent]

Unique Manuscript, Written at the age of 11, by One of America's Leading 
Nature Writers

The word "unique" is much abused today, especially in the rare book 
kingdom and often painfully so in the wild frontier of ebay where one 
sees it applied to such things as Franklin Library and Easton Press 
books.  Here is an example of how it should properly be used.

PEATTIE, Donald Culross. THE HARP OF THE BIRCHES AND OTHER POEMS. n.p., 
1909. A unique manuscript (5" x 8-1/2") accomplished in a decorative 
calligraphic style with small illustrations by Anita Helen Parkhurst of 
poems presumably written by the author when he was 11 years old, seven 
years before his first commercially published book, BLOWN LEAVES of 
1916, and presented to his parents at Christmas. Bound in black limp 
leather held together with a leather strap in a spiral fashion and with 
a holograph paper title label on the front cover. The contents consist 
of ten leaves of stiff brown paper stapled to the binding at the gutter. 
The title page includes author, title, the name of the calligrapher and 
illustrator, the dedication to Peattie's parents, and the date of 25 
December 1909. The eleven poems include the title poem, Spring and 
Summer, Savior, We Die, Irish Drinking Song, Moon Rise, Sorrow, Mid 
Night and Dawn, Pompei, The Storm, and The Ruined City. While the poems 
are what one might expect of an 11 year old, it is interesting to note 
that several are concerned with themes relating to natural history, a 
fitting subject for the writer who would become known to many as 
America's most lyrical naturalist and whose books would include AN 
ALMANAC FOR MODERNS, IMMORTAL VILLAGE, A BOOK OF HOURS, THE ROAD OF A 
NATURALIST, JOURNEY INTO AMERICA, and A NATURAL HISTORY OF TREES. On the 
inside front cover is the large later bookplate of Donald Culross 
Peattie. Very Good and absolutely one of a kind.

Donald Culross Peattie (June 21, 1898 - November 16, 1964) was a U.S. 
botanist, naturalist, and author. He was described by Joseph Wood Krutch 
as "perhaps the most widely read of all contemporary American nature 
writers" during his heyday. Peattie has been called America's most 
lyrical naturalist. He was essentially a poet, for in his writing he 
combined science with the spirit of poetry. His work reveals a strong 
appreciation for beauty and a sense of the unity of nature, considerable 
philosophic insight, and a concern for good prose. His nature writings 
are distinguished by a poetic and philosophical cast of mind and are 
scientifically scrupulous. His best known works are the two books (out 
of a planned trilogy) on North American trees which he wrote in the late 
1940s and early '50s. AN ALMANAC FOR MODERNS, the day-to-day 
observations and reflections of a sensitive naturalist, was awarded the 
Gold Medal of the Limited Editions Club. His 1939 FLOWERING EARTH was 
named the best horticultural book of the year, and in 1940 received a 
silver medal from the Commonwealth Club of California. His 
autobiographical THE ROAD OF A NATURALIST was awarded a prize by 
Houghton Mifflin in 1941. (#008599)        $3,500.00

http://home.ptd.net/~chagvent/008599.jpg

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