Walt Whitman / LEAVES OF GRASS 1856

Description: "I Greet You at the Beginning of A Great Career" -R.W. EmersonLEAVES OF GRASSBy Walt Whitman1856Landmark second edition of the epic American poetry collection, the first to include among the most famous blurbs in literature - Emerson's complimentary quote stamped, without permission, on the book's spine.Very good."I give you joy of your free and brave thought. I have great joy in it." - Emerson on LEAVES OF GRASS, 1855 When LEAVES OF GRASS was first published in 1855, few recognized the transformative effect it would have on American literature - but Ralph Waldo Emerson, the era's most respected literary critic, was among those who did. Upon receiving a complimentary copy from Whitman, Emerson responded with a letter of thanks and perceptive praise as to Whitman's achievement: "I find it the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has yet contributed." A section at the rear of this edition entitled "Leaves-Droppings" prints Emerson's complimentary letter in its entirety, but Whitman also printed one part of the letter - "I greet you at the beginning of a great career" - on the spine, becoming one of the first modern blurbs. Unfortunately, he did not seek Emerson's permission to make the correspondence public, and Emerson was displeased to learn of it. This second edition is expanded from the first with twenty poems added to the original twelve, including "Song of the Open Road." Because it is not only so much larger, but also because Whitman rearranged and revised poems, many scholars argue that "it is, in effect, a new work" (Aspiz). Published only a year after the first of only 795 copies, this is also the first pocket edition; the original edition was printed in an odd large format because Whitman had to use the materials on hand at his friends' print shop. Both were self published by Whitman, who brought an energy and creativity to book promotion rarely seen in this era: "despite his seeming self-confidence (colossal egoism, some have said) and his unlimited faith in a democratic society in which all are equal, Whitman engaged in a lifelong manipulation of the public and posterity through an unrelenting publicity campaign. [...] He left nothing to chance" (Miller, xiii). The use of Emerson's quote as a blurb was a prophetically skillful use of borrowed authority for marketing, unauthorized though it was. As Harold Aspiz notes, "Despite its artistic merit, [this edition] was Whitman's greatest publishing failure [...] sales were even poorer than those for the first [...] copies are now quite rare." A lovely copy of this transformational book in modern poetry.Read more: Blanck, Bibliography of American Literature (BAL), 21396; Myerson, Walt Whitman: A Descriptive Bibliography, A2.2; E.H. Miller, Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself"; Aspiz, "Leaves of Grass, 1856 Edition," via whitmanarchive.org. Brooklyn: (Walt Whitman), 1856. 12mo, 6'' x 3.75''. Original green cloth stamped in blind, front board and spine lettered in gilt. Illustrated with engraved frontispiece portrait of Whitman. Single page of ads at rear. iv, 5-384, [2] pages. Early 20th century engraved bookplate to front pastedown. Light rubbing to spine ends and corners, spine rather toned with gilt dulled. Some scattered foxing. Hinges strong. Firm. Type Punch Matrix Type Punch Matrix is a rare book firm founded by Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy. Between them, they bring over 30 years of experience in the antiquarian book trade. TPM sells a mixture of beloved classics and innovative texts from throughout print history, for collectors and institutions alike. Handpress and modern books, archives and manuscripts, letterpress and ephemera: TPM aims to make collecting both more accessible and more diverse, and believes in the mindful acquisition, preservation, and celebration of the materials of our literary cultures. Proud member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of American (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), and the International Online Booksellers Association (IOBA). Guarantee We guarantee the accuracy and authenticity of all our listings. "First edition" always means first printing unless otherwise indicated. Items may be returned for any reason within 30 days, through prior arrangement, and in original condition. Maryland residents must add 6% sales tax. Shipping We pride ourselves on our packaging. All books are carefully packed to help ensure safe arrival in condition sent. We use new boxes, with not a single bubble envelope to be found in our shipping room. We ship most packages via USPS media mail and include delivery confirmation at no additional charge. Delivery typically takes 5-10 days, but may be longer, especially during the holidays. Orders are shipped within two business days. Priority USPS, UPS, and Fed-Ex services are available on request; please inquire for a specific quote. We combine shipping on items purchased at the same time. If you check out immediately and are overcharged for shipping during checkout, we will issue you a prompt refund, once actual shipping costs are known. International shipping is available, and we are happy to ship to our international customers. Please contact is BEFORE PURCHASING for an exact quote.This listing was created by Bibliopolis.

Price: 20350 USD

Location: Silver Spring, Maryland

End Time: 2024-10-02T20:22:43.000Z

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