[Rarebooks] FINAL REDUCTIONS FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW

[Stephen Johnson]

Greetings to All.

Below please find greater price reductions on a number of the items offered
at discounts last week as well as on additional items added today:

The discounted items can be found at their full prices by going to our site
at www.allingtonbooks.com and searching for them.
Multiple images of each item can be found as part of the relevant listing.

*Immediate payment by PayPal is required*.  *To purchase at the
discounted prices simply email us and we will send the Buyer a PayPal
invoice**.  Shipping by Media Mail to an address in the Continental US is
Free.  PRIORITY MAIL SHIPPING is at cost less $5.00.   *

 All items are returnable (in the same condition as delivered to Buyer)
within 15 days of delivery (or attempted delivery, if earlier) of the
relevant item(s) to Buyer's mailing address.


*IF ANY OF THE ABOVE ITEMS ARE OFFERED HERE AND ON OUR CURRENT "SALE LIST"
at allingtonbooks.com <http://allingtonbooks.com>, the lower price
controls.*

Each item is subject to prior sale.

*THE ITEMS ARE:*

Lawrence, J.J.
CONFEDERATE SOLDIER'S MUSIC BOOK; Original Music Book of Confederate
Military Musician

No Publisher, No Date. No Edition. Wrappers. A RARE CIVIL WAR Confederate
Manuscript Military Music -- Among the Rarest Type of Confederate
Manuscript Material: A VERY GOOD ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT MUSIC BOOK BELONGING
TO CONFEDERATE DRUMMER J.J. LAWRENCE OF COMPANY G [OF THE FIFTH TEXAS
VOLUNTEER INFANTRY] DURING THE CIVIL WAR. The book measures approximately 6
and 5/16th inches by approximately 3 and 9/16ths inches. The outer sides of
the wrappers are in marbled paper. Within are 40 pages with lines drawn to
be used by the musician to add notes for songs to be played by him. Nine of
the pages have been completed with song titles and notes. The remaining
pages are blank, presumably because of Lawrence's untimely early death. The
musician would add his own notes for songs to be played. The contemporary
marbled wrappers show some wrinkling, rubbing, staining, and edge wear.
Within, the contents are mildly foxed. A unique collection of songs, likely
written down and carried by J.J. Lawrence, a Texas Confederate drummer
killed in action in Virginia during the Civil War. There is a manuscript
note on the inside front wrapper of the volume, “Bass Drum Band Fifth Tex.
V.I.” and J.J. Lawrence is the only drummer listed in the roster of that
regimental company. Though musicians on both sides of the Civil War were
largely kept back from battle, Lawrence was killed at the Battle of Gaines
Mill on June 27, 1862. If this was J.J. Lawrence manuscript music volume,
and we think that it was, his death in the early years of the conflict
would account for the fact that this music manuscript does not contain more
songs, though all forty pages of the text have staff lines drawn in
manuscript for musical notation. The nine songs that are written out
include “The Bonnie Blue Flag,” “Pepita Marsch,” “Walger[?],” two versions
of a “Parade March,” and four versions of “Quick Step.” Company G of the
Fifth Texas Volunteer Infantry, also known as the Milam County Greys, was
organized in Cameron, Texas on July 15, 1861. The regiment served as part
of Hood’s Texas Brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil
War. The Battle of Gaines Mill, fought in Hanover County, Virginia, was an
early Confederate victory, though one in four Texas soldiers died in the
battle, including Lawrence. While this book contains only a small sampling
of music, Confederate manuscript music material is EXCEEDINGLY RARE to the
Market. This volume, likely created by a Texas Confederate drummer boy
killed in action in Virginia while serving in Hood’s Texas Brigade, is an
important piece of historical evidence of the conflict. A REMARKABLE
SURVIVAL and EXCEEDINGLY RARE. Very good. Item #3318

Price: $6,450.00  NOW TEMPORARILY AVAILABLE AT $5,250.00


Hale, Edward Everett, [BRAYMAN, GENERAL]
The Man Without a County, TOGETHER WITH THREE RELEVANT SIGNED MANUSCRIPT
LETTERS from HALE TO BRAYMAN together with ONE LETTER FROM GENERAL BRAYMAN
DICTATED AND SIGNED BY HIM FURTHER TOGETHER WITH TWO TYPED LETTERS SIGNED
BY BRAYMAN'S GRANDSON. A NUMBER OF THE LETTERS MENTION “The Man Without A
Country” MAKING THIS AN EXCELLENT AND EXCEEDINGLY RARE COLLECTION OF THE
FAMOUS STORY AND ASSOCIATED LETTERS

Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1865. First Edition, First Printing. Original
Wrappers and Letters. A Very Good + to Near Fine copy of the first edition,
first printing, in the Publisher's original pink wrappers in NEAR FINE
CONDITION (showing wear to the spine -- including some splitting to the
lower spine and a tear to the front cover near the spine as well as some
general wear to the wrappers) signed by the presumed prior owner W. P.
Burgess to the upper face of the front wrap and there dated by him "1865",
the year of publication; TOGETHER WITH THREE MANUSCRIPT LETTERS, EACH
SIGNED BY HALE, further together with ONE FIVE (5) PAGE MANUSCRIPT LETTER
FROM GENERAL BRAYMAN TO HALE dated November 15, 1893 written IN THE HAND OF
GENERAL BRAYMAN'S DAUGHTER [Mason Gowdy's mother], having been dictated by
him to her, and SIGNED BY GENERAL BRAYMAN AND MENTIONING HIS PLEASURE TO
HEAR THAT HALE HAD MET THE GENERAL BRAYMAN'S DAUGHTER WHO MENTIONED BRAYMAN
TO HALE UPON THEIR MEETING, STATING HIS DELIGHT AT HAVING RECEIVED HALE'S
LETTER OF OCTOBER 24th accompanied by Hale's "admirable little book "THE
MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY" the receipt of which reminded him of the first
reading of the story at Natchez in the Autumn of 1864 and further
discussing the book and Hale's initial public reading of it FURTHER
TOGETHER WITH a Transcript of one of the Hale letters ; FURTHER TOGETHER
WITH two (2) typed letters signed by MASON B. GOWDY (General Brayman's
Grandson), ONE DATED FEBRUARY 18, 1962 accepting an offer from a person
named Dale Putnam to purchase three (3) manuscript letters signed by Hale
and another dated January 24, 1963 enclosing the THREE (3) SIGNED HALE
MANUSCRIPT LETTERS SENT TO PUTNAM FROM GOWDY [all of which begin with "My
Dear Sir"]: one of five (5) pages dated March 20, 1876 written on three (3)
leaves of South Congregational Church of Boston stationary with the
Church's name lined through (presumably by Hale) on the first page, a
second letter dated March 29, 1876 in Hale's hand written over three sides
of two sheets lacking the upper right corner of the first leaf, and a third
letter of four (4) pages written on two leaves of Hale's personal
stationary with slight loss and wear to the corners and one vertical fold
and two horizontal folds to each page, all three (3) of which letters are
addressed to "My Dear Sir". In the March 20, 1876 Hale compliments the
addressee for having written to him an interesting asking for more
information than he (Hale) is able to do at present, stating in the
then-recent "...late editions of the story, there is a Long Note which
really tells, all there is to tell" and that he has included or will
include the substance of the aforementioned information and that "Stephen"
is referred to as Philip's brother and mentions his [Hale's story "If Yes
and Perhaps". He concludes by giving the addressee an address to which the
addressee can send Hale a letter of introduction. In the Letter dated March
29, 1876, Hale thanks the addressee for his "kind introductions, and the
letter that accompanies them" and mentions how he will use them with
"gratitude and interest" and states that he hopes to be in Natchez "in
about a week." He further states that he has received from its Publisher
the magazine to which he (Hale) referred in his (Hale's) letter mentioned
above that he asked the article's Publisher to send to the addressee and
asking him to not come eastward without letting him (Hale) know that he
(Hale) can easily be found at his address (which Hale names to him).
Finally, in his "My Dear Sir" (General Brayman we believe) letter dated
October 24, 1893 and written on Hale's personal stationary, Hale states
(regarding the World's Fair in Chicago ( ): "On a recent visit at Chicago I
met your daughter Mrs. Gowdy, - and she has been good enough at my request
to give me your presently address." Hale further notes that she is the
grand daughter or grand niece of the owner of the estate in Natchez,
where(?) our hero Philip Jordan (married?) - and from which he went out on
his last expedition. When I was in New Orleans they (?) me Philip Nolan's
portrait, - and invited me to their present home in ___(?) County." He
further states that while there he met an "old negro who must have been
between 80 and 90 - who remembered seeing Phil Nolan before he went off on
the expedition in Texas in which he lost his life. // Of course, I do not
mean, "The Man Without a County" - but the adventurer [?] then in Texas for
whom I named him. // If you can make time to write me what you told me of
your Natchez experience connected with my story you will give me great
pleasure. // I take the liberty of sending to you the edition which is in
print for a School book. // Believe me, Dear General Brayman, // Yours
truly // Edward E Hale". [NOTE: As this letter begins "My Dear Sir:",
itself states that it is to General Brayman and was owned and sold by his
Grandson, we reasonably conclude that all the Hale letters are from Hale to
General Brayman.

but the letter dated Oct. 24, 1893 and referring to the then recent CHICAGO
FAIR and in consequence of he met others including all of expeditioner
Philip Nolan from whom he took the name for his main character in "The Man
Without a Country". Consequently, we have three (3) MANUSCRIPT LETTERS FROM
HALE AND SIGNED BY HIM, ONE (1) MANUSCRIPT LETTER SIGNED BY GENERAL
BRAYMAN, AND TWO TYPED LETTERS SIGNED FROM BRAYMAN'S GRANDSON, MASON B.
GOWDY.


Price: $6,450.00  NOW TEMPORARILY AVAILABLE AT $1,550.00


Van Noppen, Leonard Charles; Van Noppen Charles Leonard
Vondel's Lucifer [SIGNED SET OF BOOKS AND SIGNED EPEMERA]

Greensboro, NC: Continental Publishing, 1898, 1917, 1918 [1654]. First
Editions [Both Trade and Limited]. Bound and unbound as published. A Very
Good set of books and epemeral items including: The First Trade Edition,
first printing dated 1917, in the Publisher's original orange cloth
lettered and decorated in black to both the front board and the spine, with
the front board illustration depicting the plate found within at unnumbered
page 389, itself depicting Raphel pleading with Lucifer and captioned "Thou
erring Morning-star, oh! spare thyself." SIGNED AND INSCRIBED by Charles L.
Van Noppen to Sydney Greenbie as follows: "For // Mr. Sydney Greenbie //
with the compliments // of // Chas. L. Van Noppen // Greensboro // N.C. //
May 21-23" (with the date underscored); FURTHER TOGETHER WITH: A copy of
Leonard Van Noppen's lengthy Poem "THE SPHINX" inscribed and signed by
Charles Leonard van Noppen at the Poem's end to Sydney Greenbie as follows:
"For // Mr. Sydney Greenbie // with the compliments of // Charles L. Van
Noppen" // Greensboro, N.C. // May 21-23" with the date underscored and
loosely laid in to the trade edition; FURTHER TOGETHER WITH a separate
booklet, dated 1917, measuring 7 3/8 inches by 4 6/8 inches containing the
primary text found at pp 439 - 458 of the trade edition's rear portion and
wearing its own wrappers with the front wrapper's recto mirroring the trade
edition's title page and the rear wrapper's verso bearing a promotion of
the book and perhaps serving as marketing material for the book; FURTHER
TOGETHER WITH the first and only Limited Edition (therein stated to be the
"Holland Art Society Edition), dated 1898, in the Publisher's original
boards and dust jacket, being copy 963 of 1,250 copies issued, INSCRIBED
AND SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR LEONARD CHARLES VAN NOPPEN on the front free
endpaper's recto as follows: "With The compliments of - Leonard Charles van
Noppen.", this beneath a prior inscription reading: "From J. Roy Collins //
to // Ora Belle Lee." This Limited Edition is FURTHER SIGNED BY ONE OF THE
BOOK'S TWO DEDICATEES, CHARLES LEONARD VAN NOPPEN (the autor's brother and
the book's Publisher) as follows: With the compliments // of // Charles
Leonard van Noppen [partially underscored]; FURTHER TOGETHER WITH THIRTEEN
(13) separate plates together showing all of the full illustrations found
scattered within the text, all of which are shown in the list of
illustrations shown in the volume's illustrations list, such illustrations
being loosley laid in to the Limited Edition; FURTHER TOGETHER WITH an
undated photograph of Leonard Charles van Noppen in his uniform SIGNED BY
LEONARD VAN NOPPEN and loosely laid in to the Limited Edition. The Trade
Edition's front pastedown bears a pencil note stating "Author's Autograph"
which is in error as this copy was sent to Greenbie by the Publisher,
Charles L. van Noppen. Within the text of this Trade Edition shows a number
of underlingings and brief notations in pencil and/or blue ink, and the
binding shows some minor wear to the leading corners as well as some
scattered marking to the boards. The Limited Edition shows general wear to
the boards, some bending to the leading corners and shelf wear to the
bottom edge of boards, and each hinge is worn and broken. The front board
is illustrated with the figure shown on unnumbered page 263. On both the
front board and on page 263, the image is not captioned, but the list of
illustrations names it as "Lucifer" using the otherwise blank leaf prior to
the illustration. The dust jacket shows some wear to the leading corners,
the front panel's top and bottom flaps are truncated and attached to the
front panel's verso.

A FEW SUPPLEMENTAL NOTES:

The plates loosely laid in to the Limited Editions are generally in Very
Good condition. Some of them show some wear and tear and one has a portion
of it torn off and has been repaired by archival tape applied to the plates
verso. The trade edition and the copy of "THE SPHINX" are inscribed by the
Publisher, Charles Leonard van Noppen to Sydney Greenbie. We believe this
to be author Sydney Greenbie. Greenbie was a Playwright and also authored
books on Asia, and headed what was known as the "Floating University" .

[NOTE: INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHOR and some about the Publisher FROM
Dictionary of North Carolina Biography:
Leonard Charles Van Noppen, poet, literary expert, and translator, was born
at Wemeldinge, Zeeland, Holland. His parents, Cornelius Martin and Johanna
Maria Cappon Van Noppen, immigrated to the United States settling first in
Michigan in 1874 and then near Greensboro in 1877, where they became
members of the Society of Friends and their three boys, Charles Leonard,
John J., and Leonard Charles, attended the New Garden Boarding School. Both
parents of Leonard Charles Van Noppen died within a few months of each
other in 1887. His brother, Charles Leonard, sent him to the renamed
Friends School, Guilford College. He received an A.B. degree from Guilford
in 1890, a B.Litt. from The University of North Carolina in 1892, and an
M.A. from Haverford College in 1893. He returned to The University of North
Carolina in 1893 to study law. Although he was licensed, he never
practiced, having found literary endeavors more suited to his temperament.
For two years he attended lectures at the University of Utrecht and the
University of Leiden, where he immersed himself in the study of Dutch
literature. On his return to the United States he published his translation
of Joost van den Vondel's Lucifer in 1898. It was heralded as a major
literary event. The parallels between this first English translation of
Lucifer and Paradise Lost led some critics to pronounce Milton a
plagiarist. The translation was of such a fine quality that Henry Hadley
set it to music, and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra presented two
performances of it in Carnegie Hall. Van Noppen translated two other Vondel
works, Sampson and Adam in Banishment, which reinforced the claims of
Vondel's influence on Milton.

Because of his translations, Van Noppen became well known as an authority
on Dutch literature. He presented lectures at Princeton University, Johns
Hopkins University, the Lowell Institute of Boston, and a number of other
institutions, and from 1913 to 1917 he was the first Queen Wilhelmina
Lecturer at Columbia University. He was made an honorary member of the
Society of Netherlands Literature, and at various times before 1918 he
continued his studies at the Dutch universities.

Although preoccupied by his literary endeavors, Van Noppen had brief stints
as a journalist in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and New York City, and at
various times he was a private secretary to Justice John Woodward of
Jamestown, N.Y., Major William J. Gaynor of New York City, and Nathan L.
Miller, who later became governor of New York. In 1913 he read his own
poem, "The Vision—The Palace of Peace," at the dedication of the Carnegie
Peace Palace at The Hague and in 1916 presented his "Abraham Lincoln: An
Elegy" at the dedication of Lincoln Memorial University. On his first visit
to Holland Van Noppen became a Boer sympathizer. He returned to the United
States with Boer propaganda and translated the Independence Proclamation of
Martinus Theunis Steyn, president of the Orange Free State. During his
second trip to Europe he met African statesman Paul Kruger in Paris, and he
assisted the Boer Press Bureau at Dordecht.

After the United States became involved in World War I, he enlisted as a
lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve. Appointed assistant naval attaché at
The Hague, he was reputed to have carried on some secret work. He held the
same post for eight months at the U.S. embassy in London. In 1919 his
collection of war poems, The Challenge, was published first in Great
Britain and then in the United States. In London it was praised by Laurence
Binyon, Sydney Brooks, and Thomas Hardy. Van Noppen spent the remainder of
his life working on an epic poem, "Cosmorama: A Symphonic Poem of
Evolution," sometimes referred to under the title "An Epic of the Cell from
Protoplasm to Deity."

Van Noppen had the well-proportioned physique and physical capability of an
athlete. Although he favored a Byronic appearance in dress and demeanor,
his face also presented the qualities of strength and stolidity that are
usually associated with the Dutch character. He possessed a dynamic and
outgoing personality that generally made him a focus at social gatherings.
His poetry was popular during his lifetime, especially before and during
World War I in the midst of a neo-romantic revival. His poetry appeared in
the Christian Quarterly, Current Opinion, and Independent, and his work was
reviewed in the major magazines and newspapers including The Times of
London.
On 28 Sept. 1902 he married Adah Maude Stanton Becker, of Jamestown, N.Y.,
a former journalist who turned to editing his work after their marriage.
They had no children. Van Noppen died at age sixty-seven in Glen Cove, Long
Island. After her husband's death, Adah Van Noppen spent the remainder of
her life preparing Van Noppen's manuscript of his epic "Cosmorama" for
publication until her own death in Cambridge, N.Y., on 25 Feb. 1944.
Various Conditions. Item #3609

Price: $2,350.00 NOW TEMPORARILY AVAILABLE AT $750.00


Dickens, Charles
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club [Part of the Centenary edition;
Illustrations by Hablot Knight Browne aka "Phiz"]

London and New York: Chapman & Hall Ltd.; Charles Scribner's Sons, 1910. PHIZ
[Hablot K. Browne]. Centenary Edition. Hardcover. A Fine copy of The
Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club by Charles Dickens, here published
in two volumes in near-dark green cloth (which shows in some of the images
as being lighter in color than it is), with the spines being lettered and
decorated in gilt and stamped in blind and with each board showing
decoration and lining in blind. The leading corners of each board remain
sharp and the spine ends remain in excellent condition. The closed edge of
each volume's page block's top edge is stained green. Each volume shows a
pencil note to its front free endpaper and some spotting to its rear
pastedown and the facing side of its accompanying rear free endpaper.
Volume II also carries green slip of paper folded over the top edge of the
rear free endpaper stating that the set is "CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS //
Essential Backing Stock" and that the set must be Reordered "At Once",
showing that this is likely a first printing (or at least an early one).
Each Volume bears illustrations by Hablot Knight Browne presented as being
by PHIZ, and each volume wears its RARE ORIGINAL DUST JACKET. While each
jacket shows toning to the spine and some general wear and loss, sets in
their dust jackets are QUITE DIFFICULT TO FIND, and perhaps RARE. Sets were
published by both Chapman & Hall and, in the US, by Charles Scribner's Son,
with this set being from the American Centenary Edition and the set
includes all of the textual amendments made to the text by Dickens in 1867
and 1868, and reproductions of the original illustrations by Phiz. Copies
of this set in Fine condition and in the dust jackets in any condition are
EXCEEDING SCARCE TO RARE, making this set a REMARKABLE FIND. Fine / very
good. Item #3804

Price: $925.00  NOW TEMPORARILY AVAILABLE AT $225.00


Morley, John
Voltaire

London: Chapman and Hall, 1872. First Edition, First Printing. Hardcover.
An about Very Good or better copy of the first edition, first printing,
bound in full green leather with the spine and both boards decoratively
lined in gilt and the buttressed spine also decoratively lined, lettered,
and dated in gilt. All three visible closed page block edges are in gilt as
well. The leading board corners and spine corners are also rubbed and the
joints show wear and signs of use. The front pastedown is graced with a
small and elegant bookplate that, in part, reads "OTIUM SINE LITERIS MORS
EST" [which means "leisure without literature is death"]. The volume
contains forty-six (46) inserted plates with a tissue guard to most of
them. There the half-title shows some staining and there also are scattered
stains apparently caused by the presence of a plate and/or tissue guard,
and several of the tissue-guards show a closed tear. An oddly-placed tissue
guard is adhered to the rear free endpaper's verso and partially torn due
to some person or persons attempt(s) to open it. Finally, the front free
endpaper has a crease to the upper leading right portion and the second
free endpaper bears a prior seller's pencil notes. In spite of the
foregoing, the volume remains quite attractive and inviting. Very good +.
Item #3698

Price: $325.00

NOW TEMPORARILY AVAILABLE AT $65.00


Fisher, Vardis
Passions Spin the Plot

Caldwell, Idaho;: The Caxton Printers, Ltd. and Doubleday, Doran & Company,
Inc., 1934. First Edition. Hardcover. TEMPORARILY DISCOUNTED. WAS $225.00
NOW $100.00 A Near Fine to Fine copy of the first edition, first printing,
in the Publisher's original red cloth with gilt decoration to the front
board and gilt decoration and lettering to the spine with quite minor
rubbing to the volume's bottom edges, slight pushing the the spine tail,
slight bends to a couple of the leading board corners and showing quite
minor wear to the jacket edges and rubbing to the fold from the front panel
to the front flap. This novel is the second volume in Fisher's tetralogy
involving Vridar Hunter. [The volumes in the tetralogy were: "In Tragic
Life" (1932), "Passions Spin the Plot" (1934), "We Are Betrayed" (1935),
and "No Villain Need Be" (1936). [A Book Mark from The Caxton Printers,
Ltd. which, among other publications, names Fisher's "In Tragic Life".]
Born in 1895, Fisher was raised a Morman by strict Morman parents, but
later developed a contempt for Morman theology. Per Wikipedia: "Fisher
wrote Children of God, a historical novel concerning the early Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The novel won the Harper
Prize. In 1940, Fisher relocated to Hagerman, Idaho, and spent the next
twenty years writing the 12-volume Testament of Man (1943–1960) series of
novels, depicting the history of humans from cavemen to civilization.
Fisher's novel Mountain Man (1965) was adapted in the film Jeremiah
Johnson." In 1925, he began teaching at the University of Utah. There, in
his 1926 Freshman English, he inspired Wallace Stegner. Of Fisher, Stegner
later said that he "put a can opener on my head and opened up my brains."
Fisher, thinking that he would soon be asket to resign from his position
left to teach at Washington Square College of New York University. Near
fine / very good +. Item #3842

Price: $100.00 NOW TEMPORARILY AVAILABLE AT $40.00


Oh, Why Should the Spirit of Mortal Be Proud? [IN THE RARE DUST JACKET]

Boston; New York: Lee and Shepard; Charles T. Dillingham, Presumed
1877. Humphrey,
L. B. Unstated. Hardcover. TEMPORARILY DISCOUNTED. WAS $625. NOW $175. A
Very Good or better copy of this unstated edition, bound in the Publisher's
original purple cloth and wearing the RARE DUST JACKET, with the title page
dated 1877 and the copyright dated 1876 with not further editions stated.
The volume contains a noted Poem by William Knox which focuses on Mortality
and which is said to have been Abraham Lincoln's favorite Poem which he
frequently recited. American painter F. B. Carpenter wrote that while he
was engaged in painting his large picture at the White House, he was alone
one evening with the president in his room when President Lincoln said:
"There is a poem, which has been a great favorite with me for years, which
was first shown to me when a young man, by a friend, and which I afterwards
saw and cut from a newspaper, and learned by heart. "I would,” he
continued, “give a great deal to know who wrote it, but I have never been
able to ascertain.” Lincoln's own handwritten (by him) copy of the Poem is
held by the Western Heritage Museum at the University of Oklahoma, and so
often did Lincoln recited the Poem from memory that many hearing him
thought that it was his own Poem. Of the Poem, Lincoln (in 1846) also
stated: "I would give all I am worth and go into debt to be able to write
so fine a piece as I think that is." Having been protected by the QUITE
SCARCE DUST JACKET, the volume's binding is in Very Good or better
condition, and, while showing some wear to the spine ends and leading board
corners, remains in a bright and clean condition. The dust jacket itself
shows wear and loss as well as spotting and a gift note is written in
pencil to the front panel. The front flap is detached but remains present.
Within, the front and rear end papers show moderate foxing. The tissue
guard to the decorative half title page is heavily foxed (and a small piece
from the tissue guard has been torn off) and such half-title page shows
less foxing. The title page and the text itself shows only minor to modest
scattered foxing. The volume's spine is lettered and banded in gilt and the
front board is attractively decorated in gilt and black and, in that it
retains its RARE DUST JACKET, it remains a REMARKABLE COPY and the ONLY
COPY WE EVER HAVE SEEN IN THE DUST JACKET. This copy is thus RARE INDEED.

NOTE PER WIKIPEDIA: William Knox (17 August 1789 – 12 November 1825) was a
Scottish poet. He is known for writing Abraham Lincoln's favorite poem,
Mortality (O, Why Should The Spirit Of Mortal Be Proud?), which, as noted
above, Lincoln often recited by memory. In 1812 Knox leased the farm of
Wrae, near Langholm, Dumfriesshire, and farmed unsuccessfully - mainly due
to the lack of a capital needed to render the farm sufficiently productive
- from 1812 to 1817; then he turned to writing poems, encouraged by both
Christopher North and Sir Walter Scott.
Despite having farmed for only five years, he earned the approbation of the
intelligent agriculturists in Dumfriesshire, who considered Knox as a man
well fitted to excel as a farmer. He was greatly esteemed and highly
praised by all of his neighbours for his generosity as a man and for his
worth as a friend. During his farming years, Knox never lost his interest
in poetry and literature. By 1817 - when he ceased farming - he was deeply
read in the British poets, both ancient and contemporary. In 1817 he
composed the greater number of the pieces contained in his first work, "The
Lonely Hearth and other Poems". By that time he also had become a good
literary critic, not only of poetry but also of other English literature,
and had exercised his talents in different styles of composition. At about
that time, he wrote unpublished poems entitled "The Influence of Love over
the other Passions" and "The Father's Cottage." Later in life he wrote
several books of poetry, including "The Lonely Hearth" (1818); and "The
Songs of Israel" (1824), which contains "Mortality (O, Why Should The
Spirit Of Mortal Be Proud?), "The Harp of Zion" (1825); and latter worked
as a journalist in Edinburgh. Both Sir Walter Scott and Professor John
Wilson (Christopher North) of Edinburgh, had a high opinion of Knox as a
man and as a poet with "fascinating conversational powers and general
literary information". In 1820 Knox moved to Edinburgh. From then until
shortly before his death many of his small works of prose and verse
appeared in various periodicals. He was a frequent contributor to the
Literary Gazette. He wrote a Christmas tale entitled "Marianne or the
Widower's Daughter" and also "A Visit to Dublin". At the beginning of 1823
he visited his brother Walter in Ireland, and remained there for about
twelve months. During that visit he composed "The Songs of Israel"
(published soon after his return to Edinburgh in 1824). His next and last
publication was "The Harp of Zion" which was published in April 1825 and
written only a few months before its publication.
Notably, William Knox's memory was so powerful that once, when a bookseller
mislaid the manuscript of The Harp of Zion, he is said to have sat down and
in two or three days re-written the whole poem from his recollection (the
only trouble it cost him being the manual labour). He scarcely ever altered
the first draft of his compositions, as he believed that the first draft
was generally the best.
Robert Southey, a Romantic English poet and Poet Laureate from 1813 until
1843, wrote to Knox on 19 August 1824:
“Your little volume has been safely delivered to me by your friend Mr G.
Macdonald, and I thank you for it. It has given me great pleasure. To
paraphrase sacred poetry is the most difficult of all tasks, and it appears
to me that you have been more successful in the attempt than any of your
predecessors. You may probably have heard that the Bishop of Calcutta ...
was engaged in forming a collection of hymns and sacred pieces, with the
hope of having them introduced into our English churches. Some of yours are
so well adapted to that object that I will send out a copy of your book to
him. … I cannot but wish that talents and feelings such as yours were
employed in the ministry of the gospel, where you would find your happiness
in the performance of your duty – you are young enough to think of this.”.
Very good + / good. Item #3407

Price: $175.00

 NOW TEMPORARILY AVAILABLE AT $60.00



With Thanks for your consideration of the these items and

Best Wishes,
Stephen




Stephen Johnson
Allington Antiquarian Books, LLC
Rare and Collectible Books, both Antiquarian and Modern
www.allingtonbooks.com
336-414-0435