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Boston 1884, Osgood. Unusual Mustard cloth, black spine and & cover titles, spine head & tail typical wear, rubbing,with minor loss, contents clean, bright & solid, 225p., 12 x 17.5 cm. * * RARE FIRST LIMITED EDITION OF 1000 COPIES * * . *** **** *** . . HEARN'S SECOND BOOK WITH HIS NAME ON THE TITLE PAGE . . . HIS FIRST BOOK PUBLISHED WHILE RESIDENT IN NEW ORLEANS . . . WITH 27 SHORT STORIES, FOLK-TALES & ESSAYS . . . FIRST LIMITED AMERICAN EDITION OF 1000 COPIES * This is Hearn first published work with his essays. The First Published work with his name on the title page was his translation from the Theophile Gautier's ONE OF CLEOPATRA'S NIGHTS from the French original in 1882. . This book expresses Hearn's deep fascination with fables, legends, parables &c. from "Eastern Religions," based on primary resources from Jakata tales, Egyptian Papyrus, legend of the South Pacific, Esquimaux tradition, retold from Indian & Buddhist literature, the Kalewala, Moslem lands, and traditions retold from the Talmud. . His bibliography is a list of all resources he read, translated & consulted. . Clear expository essay on the religious & intellectual traditions of man. . Although Hearn published a large number of newspaper articles while resident in Cincinnati & New Orleans. . In the 5 page "EXPLANATORY" essay, Hearn discusses his first published work with his name on the title page. It a compilation of his thoughts on 'exotic.most fantastically beautiful literature.found in these fables, legends, parables &c." Eastern religion and folk-lore, his preoccupation in life. . *** EDITIONS: . FIRST AMERICAN EDITION LIMITED TO 1000 copies, was published in 1884, per Perkins came in brown, green & blue cloth, with front cover titles in black, spine titles in gold. He does NOT mention the mustard/yellow cloth color, which is exceptionally RARE and uncommonly found. The book contains a 2 page "Bibliography" just before title page. There is also a 5 page "Explanatory" essay by Hearn. . American editions have all edges trimmed. . The Second edition was copyright 1912, issued in two versions, with the following on the verso of title page: . a. b. "Copyright 1884. By James R. Osgood and Company." . b. The [1912] edition has all edges trimmed, on the verso of the title page is: "Copyright, 1884, By James R. Osgood And Company Copyright, 1912, By Setsn Koiznmi [sic for Setsuko Koizumi] Lafcadio Hearn's wife. . Apparently after Hearn died in 1904 she had to fight with Osgood to give her back copyright recognition so she could earn something from this publication. This is the one and only with such copyright information on Setsuko from the publisher. . *** The FIRST BRITISH EDITION was published in 1902 by Gay & Bird. The First Edition, Second Printing was published in 1903 by Kegan Paul from the American sheets. Kegan published this in red cloth, with the look of a stitched bound spine Japanese book in gold stamping on front cover and spines, top edge gilt, other 2 edges trimmed. . *** DETAILS ON INDIVIDUAL COPIES: . Copies vary greatly in binding color, location of date, edition, condition and other critical details. Please carefully read the details of each individual copy prior to ordering. By and large each copy has very bright, clean contents, on issues. . Copy 1 mustard cloth, inside cover hinge on front & back cover gutters cracked but solid. . Copy 2 mustard cloth, inside front cover hinge and that internal margin has a dark stain on the half-title page only, other pages very clean. . Cpies 9 & 19 were [1912] for the benefit of Hearn's Japanese wife, Setsuko Koizume, see . *** Color photos are posted to our web site. . *** REFERENCE: . Perkins pp.5-6 . *. Seller Inventory # 84221204
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