[Rarebooks] FS: The Wakeman Copy of J. R. Lowell's BIGELOW PAPERS with LETTER from Lowell & SIGNATURE of Thomas W. Higginson

[Charles Agvent]

LOWELL, James Russell. MELIBOEUS-HIPPONAX. THE BIGELOW PAPERS together 
with MELIBOEUS-HIPPONAX. THE BIGELOW PAPERS. Second Series. Cambridge 
and Boston: George Nichols and Ticknor and Fields, 1848 and 1867. First 
Edition. The first volume in publisher's dark brown cloth (BAL 13068: 
Binding A) with the preferred Cambridge imprint only on the title page; 
the second volume in publisher's green cloth (BAL 13126: 1st Printing, 
Trade Format). The first volume published under a pseudonym: "Edited, 
with an introduction, notes, glossary, and copious index, by Homer 
Wilbur, A. M."; the second volume published anonymously. Both volumes 
with cloth chemises and housed together in a gilt-lettered green 
morocco-backed slipcase The first volume contains satirical verse and 
prose denunciating the Mexican-American War and was named by the Grolier 
Club as the most influential book of 1848. Tipped in between the front 
endpaper and blank is a fine 3-page AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED by Lowell to 
a Mr. Winthrop on Legation of the United States London stationery dated 
20 April 1882 during Lowell's service as Minister to England. The letter 
is about the Royal Wedding of Duke of Albany, son of Queen Victoria and 
Prince Albert, to Princess Helen of Waldeck which took place exactly a 
week after this letter was written. Lowell states that "it is more than 
doubtful whether I am invited myself," and even though he may be known 
to the Duke, "that would probably make no difference in a matter of 
etiquette. The Crown having lost all the substance of [?] clings all the 
more closely to the shadow. I hope I shall have the pleasure of seeing 
something of you when you are in London if Ireland leaves me any time or 
if the Irish Republic doesn't send me home in chains." The first volume 
is the Stephen Wakeman copy with his simple bookplate on the front 
pastedown beneath the small leather bookplate of Terry (also present in 
the second volume). In addition there is the signature of Thomas 
Wentworth Higginson the front endpaper: "Higginson/Newb. Dec. 1848," 
owned by him when he served as pastor at the First Religious Society of 
Newburyport, Massachusetts, a Unitarian church known for its liberal 
Christianity. Higginson was active in the American Abolitionism movement 
during the 1840s and 1850s and was a member of the Secret Six who 
supported John Brown. He served as colonel of the 1st South Carolina 
Volunteers, the first federally authorized black regiment, from 1862 to 
1864. Higginson and Lowell were students together at Harvard. Letter is 
Fine. First volume with fraying along front spine edge but otherwise 
very nice. Second volume with mild foxing; hinges cracked but tight with 
the rear neatly repaired; covers bright and clean. Overall at least Very 
Good in Fine chemises and a Near Fine slipcase with the spine mildly 
sunned. (#020935)        $1,500

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