Contrasts : Or, A Parallel Between The Noble Edifices Of The Middle Ages And Corresponding Buildings Of The Present Day Showing the Present Decay of Taste.

Third edition. Evelyn Waugh's copy with his "Industria Ditat" bookplate. With presentation inscription by Waugh in ink on bookplate "From Evelyn Waugh [using the printed name on the bookplate] to Rose Donaldson ecclesiologist + letura [sic]. Feast of the Assumption 1954" 4to., original cloth lettered in gilt on spine. Books from Evelyn Waugh's library rarely appear on the market as his library was sold en bloc to the Harry Ransom Center in Austin Texas. This book, having been previously given as a gift by Waugh, escaped that sale. This copy was a duplicate of the title in Waugh's collection, which was presumably why he was happy to give it as a gift. The 1836 first edition is among the books at the Harry Ransom Center. It is not surprising that Waugh had Pugin's landmark work in his library. He had a keen interest in nineteenth century art, with his first slim book dealing with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (1926), followed by his work on Rossetti in 1928. Waugh and Pugin also shared conversion to Catholicism. Waugh's enthusiasm for Pugin is shown in a letter to his friend Christopher Sykes (1962). Waugh encourages Sykes to come and stay with him in London to "fill you with delicate meats and rare wines, I will laugh uproariously at all your jokes, I will flatter you black and blue, I will be compliant to your taste in entertainment (buggery excepted) if you will stay at your London during these terrible days & spend the hours of 11am to 12 midnight with me." Further to this, Waugh promises to make introductions for Sykes to Patrick Balfour, Diana Cooper and "if he is in London, Charlie Chaplin," and even goes as far as to offer to "take you for the day to Ramsgate to see & pray at Pugin's tomb" To raise money for St. Dominic's Church, in Dursley, Waugh held a garden fête on August 14th 1954, and opened his house to the public. A poster for the event advertised 'Personally Conducted Tours by Miss Rose Donaldson – every Twenty Minutes – 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. inclusive.' Rose Donaldson was the sixteen year old daughter of Waugh's friends and neighbours, Jack and Frances Donaldson. Waugh carefully rehearsed Rose with comments and observations about the various pictures on display. Knowing, for example, that William Douglas Home would be coming to write a piece for the Sunday Express, Waugh coached Rose to describe a newspaper portrayed in one painting as 'a kind of rag, the equivalent of, one might say, today's Sunday Express.' In Evelyn Waugh: Portrait of a Country Neighbour, Rose's mother recalled the contrast between Waugh's remarks and the youthful innocence of the voice delivering them. 'The effect was remarkably funny', she wrote, 'and a great success with everyone.' The following day, as a reward, Waugh gave Rose the academic gown that he had received with an honorary degree from an American university, and this copy of Pugin's Contrasts. The tours formed part of the St Dominic's Church Fete in Dursley. "Parishioners included Mrs Millicent Lister, and Mr Evelyn Waugh. These two assisted local efforts to build a proper church in Dursley, and the foundation stone of St Dominic's was laid in 1938. The church was dedicated to St Dominic in recognition of the work of the Dominican friars, and it was opened on 26th February 1939. The presbytery was built in 1954.".