Thoreau, Henry David | The Writings of Thoreau, manuscript edition

From the Library of an American Filmmaker

Thoreau, Henry David

The Writings of Henry David Thoreau. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin and Company, 1906

8vo, 20 volumes. Signed by the publisher, photogravure frontispieces and title page vignettes, titles and half-titles printed in red and black, numerous photogravure illustrations, 5 pages of manuscript bound in to volume 1; last leaf of manuscript with short closed tear. Green morocco, gilt-tooled with floral tools to cornerpieces and spines, replicated on turn-ins, with central panel of purple morocco, spines with raised bands in six compartments, watered silk endpapers, top edge gilt; spines sunned.

Limited manuscript edition, number 6 of 600 copies, signed with manuscript leaves bound in.

The present set boasts two autograph manuscript leaves: one from Thoreau's journals, and the other an autograph note signed by Thoreau. The two leaves from Thoreau's journal are substantial, written recto and verso in sepia ink, and comprise 51 and 61 lines with some corrections and deletions, totaling approximately 500 words. One passage relates a vision by Thoreau and an unnamed friend while walking to Willis' Hill and Pond:

"the sun ... like a shield which some hand held within the azure field ... all burnished with the tints of mother of pearl. ... I never saw before nor since at midday in the sky those pearl like tints. ...The other records Thoreau's self-exhortation to: ... Go fish and hunt far and wide day by day, and rest thee by many hearthsides, without misgiving. Rise free from care before the dawn, and seek adventures. Let the noon find thee by other brooks, and the night overtake thee every where at home. ..."

The autograph note signed ("Henry D. Thoreau"), was written from Concord, and dated 10 November 1860.

PROVENANCE:

J. V. Thompson, Oak Hill, Uniontown, Pa.(letter noted in 186 sale apparently removed) — Robert Sneath Cain (detached bookplate laid in vol. 1 with remnants of adhesive) — Christie's New York, 16 May 1986, lot 237