Published by Constable & Company Ltd, London, 1955
Seller: The Print Room, Cockernhoe nr Luton, United Kingdom
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. Jacket by G. H. H. Davey (illustrator). Reprint. First published in 1939, this is a second impression of the new revised edition of 1955. Some edge wear, chipping and loss to top and bottom of jacket and spine, slight lean, some browning to page block, some slight time staining to back of fab retro jacket, not price clipped (21/-), no inscriptions, internally clean and tight, overall a vg+ copy for its age. 234pp. Lord Edward Christian David Gascoyne-Cecil (1902-86), was a British biographer, historian and academic. He held the style of 'Lord' by courtesy, as a younger son of a marquess. This is his story of the early life and marriage of William Lamb, later Lord Melbourne (1779-1848), Prime Minister to the young Queen Victoria and husband of the notorious Lady Caroline Lamb, lover of Byron.
Published by Published by William Collins 14 St. James's Place, London Second Edition . 1942., 1942
Seller: Little Stour Books PBFA Member, Canterbury, United Kingdom
Association Member: PBFA
Second edition hard back binding in publisher's original powder blue and creamy white paper covered boards. 8vo. 9'' x 6½''. Contains 48 printed pages of text with 8 colour plates and 13 monochrome illustrations throughout. Ink message to the title leaf 'Bayham Abbey Estate, Tunbridge Wells, Kent 9th August 1943.' Very Good condition book in Very Good condition dust wrapper with shallow rubs to the spine ends and corners, not price clipped, 3s 6d. Dust wrapper supplied in archive acetate film protection. Member of the P.B.F.A. BRITAIN IN PICTURES.
Published by Published by William Collins 14 St. James's Place, London First Edition 1941., 1941
Seller: Little Stour Books PBFA Member, Canterbury, United Kingdom
Association Member: PBFA
First Edition
First edition hard back binding in publisher's original powder blue and creamy white paper covered boards. 8vo. 9'' x 6½''. Contains 48 pp with 12 colour plates and 13 monochrome illustrations throughout. Near Fine condition book in Very Good condition dust wrapper with rubs to the tips and corners. Dust wrapper supplied in archive acetate film protection. Member of the P.B.F.A. BRITAIN IN PICTURES.
Published by 24 May On letterhead of 7 Linton Road Oxford, 1954
Manuscript / Paper Collectible
An interesting letter, revealing some of Cecil's views on the art of writing. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Vere Henry Collins (1872-1966), was an author and grammatical stickler, and Cecil has clearly been on the receiving end of a ticking off. 2pp, 4to. On grey paper. In fair condition, lightly aged, with creasing and a short closed cut at the foot. He begins by stating that he found Collins's letter 'very interesting': 'I take a great interest in the small points of style.' He agrees with some of Collins's 'strictures', 'in particular that about the exclamation mark. As a matter of fact I didn't put any exclamation marks, they were put in by the newspaper. However, I am partly responsible, for I didn't notice them in the hurry of looking through the proof at the last minute.' He responds to another question of punctuation, before stating: 'I do not take the view that no sentence should begin with 'and'. It may be necessary to begin one with 'and', in order to convey the precise modulation of thought in the mind of the author.' He continues: 'You are wrong in thinking "whether or not" unnecessary. I wished to give the impression of the controversy raging in the Norton household - with Caroline saying the children should go to stay with her brother, and George Norton maintaining that they should not do so - this could not be conveyed so well by simply using the word "whether".' He proceeds to explain his disagreement with Collins's point regarding 'consternated', commenting: 'I note that you quote Fowler [H. W. Fowler, author of 'Modern English Usage'] as an authority. Believe me, he is no such thing. His books are lively and vigorous, but they reveal him as a man who does not understand much about the art of writing. Almost every rule he propounds has been broken by great writers.' After conceding Collins's points on 'slips in punctuation', he concludes: 'You are surely right to protest against slipshod writing; but you should remember that the writing of English is a flexible art.' The letter carries numerous pencil annotations by Collins, including - concerning the point about sentences beginning with 'and' - 'Nor do I nor does any sensible person'. And on the question of Fowler: 'No argument. There is not a glaring error in grammar or style of which an example could not be found in a famous writer. The quality of their [?], like Homer, nods.'.