Marrin's Bookshop

Item Description

FIRST EDITION. 8vo. 6.5 x 5.75 inches. [vi] + 29 + [3] pp. + 7 pp. publishers' catalogue. Bound in dark blue cloth, gilt, with titles within decorative gilt block on front board. Top edge gilt. Deckled edges. Slight sunning of spine and some foxing of flyleaves, but otherwise a very good copy. Illustrated by ornamental half title, title and dedication page. Decorated by publishers' colophon at end. A poem featuring Faust and Mephistopheles by William Watson (1858-1935), who was a contributor to The Yellow Book. Partly because of a temporary breakdown and partly because of the controversial political content of some of his work, Watson, was twice passed over for the position of Poet Laureate. He wrote against the South African War, but his subsequent support for Lloyd George and the war effort earned him a knighthood in 1917. Despite having published over twenty five works from 1880-1921, he is now largely forgotten.