The Grey Lady with Twelve Illustrations by Arthur Rackham

Merriman, Henry Seton (Scott, Hugh Stowell)

Published by Smith, Elder & Co., 15, Waterloo Place, London, 1902

About this Item

1902 date at title page; no other dates, indications. Early impression with rare illustrations by a budding Arthur Rackham. Stated at title page: "New Edition with Twelve Illustrations by Arthur Rackham." The Grey Lady was first published in 1895 without illustrations. Red full cloth boards, blind-stamped cover titles and borders, gilt spine titles, moderate shelf wear, rub, discoloration. Publishers device blind-stamped at back board. Pages generally very good, no writing; rough-cut lower text block. Small open tear to single page. Bind good; hinges intact. Frontispiece plate by Arthur Rackham with fine tissue guard: "The Tear of the Sword. (see page 232)." An additional eleven plates illustrated by Rackham grace this volume. Some of his earliest and most stylish designs. Good intact rarity. The Grey Lady was acclaimed by The Observer as being "amongst the cleverest and most interesting of recent novels." A captivating turn-of-the-century tale of familial intrigue. Here is a tale of romance, greed, blackmail, secrets, Spain and ships. Loss and sweeping events ensue as the reader follows twin brothers along their diverging life paths. Intertwined is the old, scheming woman who is the Grey Lady; the mysterious older gentleman and his relation to her; a gold-digging woman and her marriageable daughter; and, an innocent young damsel recently orphaned. With this cast of characters, there most definitely are intrigues and plots among them. Hugh Stowell Scott (1862-1903) was a prominent English novelist using the pseudonym Henry Seton Merriman. Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1862, Scott became an underwriter at Lloyd's of London, but then devoted himself to travel and writing novels. He first visited India as a tourist in 1877-78 and set his novel Flotsam (1896) there. He was an enthusiastic traveller, many of his journeys being undertaken with his friend and fellow author Stanley J. Weyman. He was unusually modest and retiring in character. Scott died of appendicitis at the age of forty in Melton, Suffolk. Twenty pages at back with lists of titles available from several associated publishing houses. Printed by William Clowes and Sons, Limited, London and Beccles. 342 pages. Insured post Size: 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

Seller Inventory # 022069

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Grey Lady with Twelve Illustrations by Arthur Rackham
• Publisher: Smith, Elder & Co., 15, Waterloo Place, London
• Publication Date: 1902
• Binding: Hard Cover
• Illustrator: Rackham, Arthur
• Edition: First Edition Thus.
• Condition: Good