[Rarebooks] F/S R. U. Johnson, inscribed book and a remarkable letter regarding Keats Material in New York

[Garry R Austin]

We offer for your consideration the following, net to all & postpaid @ 
$125.
From
Austin's Antiquarian Books
PO Box 730
Wilmington, Vt. 05363
mail at austinsbooks.com
802 464-8438

Johnson, Robert Underwood. Poems. New York: Century Company, 1910. Third 
edition. Duodecimo; pp; xi, (v), 340; blue cloth, gilt title tile 
lettered in blue on the upper board, spine lettered in gilt, top edge 
gilt; Very good. A nicely inscribed copy to a Mrs. Bertha L. Bolton of 
Rochester New York, dated December, 1911, with page references regarding 
Keats that are in Johnson's work.

Laid in are two letters, a typed letter signed on Century Magazine 
stationery, dated January 5, 1912, citing the returning of some 
photographs.

The second letter is an autographed letter signed also on Century 
Magazine stationery, dated December, 23, 1911, four pages with the 
original envelope. In this letter Johnson references some "good news", 
and states that he is sending her a copy of his "Poems" with his poem, 
"To One Who Never Got To Rome"which has references to Keats. He also 
sends a "list of the first thousand books in the Roman Library" and a 
number of a periodical. He will be contributing a piece to the next number.

Johnson is about to go "uptown to inspect and describe several books 
that belonged to Keats - owned by a Kentucky relative: including his 
Spencer!". He relates that a Mr. Armour in Princeton has Keats' 
Shakespeare, Smith of New York has his Hazlitt & a copy of "Adonis" 
given by Shelley to Severn. J. P. Morgan has two locks of his (Keats) 
hair, the "Endymion Ms.", & several of his poems in manuscript; Mr. 
While of Brooklyn has  the "Lamia Ms." the above Mr. Smith has the 
original of the "Chapman's Homer", Amy Lowell has the nearly complete 
"Nightingale Ms.". Johnson intimates that he is working on a Keats 
Memorial and wants to accumulate these treasures for it. He references 
Mrs. Bolton's (undescribed) treasures too. He further relates his recent 
dinner at the Atheneum Club in London with the head of the Shelley 
family, Leigh Hunt's grandson, Severn's son and others. Johnson is part 
of an American "Keats-Shelley Assn." and he will be having the Secretary 
communicate with Mrs. Bolton regarding her membership. A remarkable 
letter regarding books and collecting. Johnson was the editor of the 
Century Magazine.
Also laid in is another Johnson note of little consequence and an 
interesting magazine clipping in which Johnson vilifies New York City 
for its lack of appreciation of poetry.
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