INSCRIBED BY, AND TO, HENRY WILLIAMSON, WITH ANNOTATIONS
As it was, world without end.
London.
William Heinemann Ltd, 1926.
First edition, new impression.
8vo.
116pp [6]. Original publisher's salmon cloth boards lettered in gilt, with the cream dustwrapper printed in red. Bottom edge uncut. New impression without the expurgated eight lines of an intimate scene. Internally bright and clean, endpapers a little toned, inscribed to FFEP by Henry Williamson to his wife for Christmas 1926. Spine slightly cocked, cloth faded. Wrapper toned and marked with some loss.
[With:] World without end. London. William Heinemann Ltd., 1931. First edition. 8vo. 194pp. Original publisher's dark orange boards lettered in black, with cream dustwrapper printed in red. Internally bright save toning to endpapers, and typical notes and annotations in black, red, and pencil in Henry Williamson's hand. Boards rubbed and marked, dustwrapper detached between spine (only fragments of which remain) and upper board, toned and marked with significant losses. Inscribed by the author to Henry Williamson on the FFEP in black ink, around the time he had an affair with the author's daughter, Myfanwy. Williamson's note on the title page is thus: '"Congenital melancholy" says the wife of the poet: "congenital stupidity" says the poet of the wife. Both terms are relative; but neither poet nor wife should have been related. This is my feeling after the first meeting with H. T. in March 1931 in London: and every contact afterwards, particularly over the affair of A. T. confirmed and deepened the feeling. - H. W.'
[With:] World without end. London. William Heinemann Ltd., 1931. First edition. 8vo. 194pp. Original publisher's dark orange boards lettered in black, with cream dustwrapper printed in red. Internally bright save toning to endpapers, and typical notes and annotations in black, red, and pencil in Henry Williamson's hand. Boards rubbed and marked, dustwrapper detached between spine (only fragments of which remain) and upper board, toned and marked with significant losses. Inscribed by the author to Henry Williamson on the FFEP in black ink, around the time he had an affair with the author's daughter, Myfanwy. Williamson's note on the title page is thus: '"Congenital melancholy" says the wife of the poet: "congenital stupidity" says the poet of the wife. Both terms are relative; but neither poet nor wife should have been related. This is my feeling after the first meeting with H. T. in March 1931 in London: and every contact afterwards, particularly over the affair of A. T. confirmed and deepened the feeling. - H. W.'
Predominantly considered a memoir, Thomas' two slim volumes tell the tale of David and Jenny, desperately in love, and their life together until the former's death in the First World War. The explicit nature of some scenes in As it was caused some controversy, with two leaves expurgated in order to hide the content of eight lines among a much longer passage describing the two character's intimacy. Robert Frost, a dear friend of Edward Thomas (and partly the reason for his death, as Thomas enlisted in the War due to Frost writing The Road Not Taken, for him), was so incensed he hastily withdrew his dedication to Helen Thomas in his forthcoming book of poetry, and made much effort to leave what was, to Helen, a valued friendship in honour of her late husband.
Myfanwy Thomas would go on to be Henry Williamson's secretary and lover in the early 1930s, after leaving her job at the BBC to work for him as his secretary. Myfanwy lived in relative harmony with Williamson and his first wife Ida Loetitia, to whom this copy of As it was is inscribed. The less controversial World without end has more typical Williamson penmanship than As it was, including Williamson's note in red on the title page references his affair with Myfanwy Thomas. While his usual cutting annotations are present in the first few pages, he appears to lose enthusiasm until towards the end, where he adds various insightful comments including 'ha! ha!! ha!!!', and, 'ye gods!!'
Henry Williamson (1895-1977), novelist and writer on natural history and the English countryside, is predominantly remembered as the author of Tarka the Otter (1927) for which he won the Hawthornden Prize. His wartime experiences on the Western Front having altered his life inexorably, he spent the remainder of his post-war life in Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk, writing naturalistic novels very much in the romantic tradition. T. E. Lawrence was a dear friend of Williamson, who published 'The Genius of Friendship', an account of their correspondence in tribute to him, six years after Lawrence's tragic death.
£ 2,500.00
Antiquates Ref: 27924
Myfanwy Thomas would go on to be Henry Williamson's secretary and lover in the early 1930s, after leaving her job at the BBC to work for him as his secretary. Myfanwy lived in relative harmony with Williamson and his first wife Ida Loetitia, to whom this copy of As it was is inscribed. The less controversial World without end has more typical Williamson penmanship than As it was, including Williamson's note in red on the title page references his affair with Myfanwy Thomas. While his usual cutting annotations are present in the first few pages, he appears to lose enthusiasm until towards the end, where he adds various insightful comments including 'ha! ha!! ha!!!', and, 'ye gods!!'
Henry Williamson (1895-1977), novelist and writer on natural history and the English countryside, is predominantly remembered as the author of Tarka the Otter (1927) for which he won the Hawthornden Prize. His wartime experiences on the Western Front having altered his life inexorably, he spent the remainder of his post-war life in Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk, writing naturalistic novels very much in the romantic tradition. T. E. Lawrence was a dear friend of Williamson, who published 'The Genius of Friendship', an account of their correspondence in tribute to him, six years after Lawrence's tragic death.
