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A scarce first impression of the first edition, published in November 1943. Illustrated with five photographic plates. A comparative study of the lives of St. Teresa of Avila and St. Thérèse of Lisieux. ***Near fine in navy-blue cloth-covered boards with a decorative panel to the spine with titles in silver. The silver is still fabulously bright, having been protected by the dustwrapper. The boards are clean and unmarked, with no bumps or creases to the edges, and no damage to the fragile spine. Corners sharp. No reading lean to the binding. Spine tight. Page block edges clean with just the slightest of darkening to the top edge. Internally also near fine with no inscriptions. Pages clean with no foxing. ***In a very good original dustwrapper, which has been corner price-clipped to the front flap. The dustwrapper is virtually complete, with just very small areas of loss mainly at the head of the spine and the top corner tips. There is some rubbing to the extremities, and a small nick to the spine. There is some light fading to the blue colour on the spine of the dustwrapper. The back panel, which is white, is slightly marked with age, and there is a small closed tear to the top edge with some associated creasing. The foldover flaps are largely uncreased. ***210mm x 144mm. 182 pages. Illustrations: Avila, A Letter from St. Teresa, Toledo in a Storm, Les Buissonnets, Lisieux, St. Thérèse at the Convent of Lisieux. ***'Miss Sackville-West finds her "contrasts" in two famous saints, St. Teresa of Avila and St. Thérèse of Lisieux. "Not accidentally," she writes, "have they been accorded the epithets of "the great" and "the little." They were both Carmelites; they were both canonised; they shared the same baptismal name. But the points of difference between them are more numerous than the points of resemblance. Teresa of Avila is the aristocratic, intellectual, vigorous, and surprisingly humorous Spaniard of the sixteenth century; Thérèse of Lisieux the guileless, sentimental French bourgeoise of almost our own day. Teresa, the great mystic, is the patron saint of Spain; but Thérèse, the humble nun, is to-day probably the most beloved and popular saint in the entire calendar. The extraordinary rise of her culte is here described and the peculiar appeal of her "Little Way" scrutinised; while in the study of Teresa of Avila the strange subject of mysticism, so fascinating yet so unfamiliar to the average reader, is examined in its various manifestations and implications. "The Eagle and the Dove" is a distinguished contribution to literature. (Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper) ***A first impression of the true first edition, complete with the original dustwrapper, in near complete presentable condition. A lovely copy of this interesting biographical work by Bloomsbury author Vita Sackville-West. As the book was published to War Economy Standards, copies in such nice collectable condition are now very few and far between. With "Britain Calls the World - from London comes the Voice of Britain - the Voice of Freedom" wartime advert on the back flap. ***Of interest to collectors of the work of Vita Sackville-West and the Bloomsbury Group. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.
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