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. Hardcover. 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. Item #020935
Price: $1,500.00