The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-01-19
First Editions - y
~ ~ of TennySon.


The true collector Of first editions who makes fe'a
vocation of what others is lad End bit little
oceupy his battle his hopes infinite
variety with the difficulties encountered in hunt for FIRST
editions OF Tennysonnot his later volumes Of eourse
which editions published, bus those early
poems, Of them printed privately FOR the poet and
few friends which either suppressed In later editions Of
his works changed by him in his unceasing striving after
perfection.
After Tennyson edition of 10000 copies
Of new volume Of his not rare copies Of these
later books still easily be found sometimes quoted be-
earlier volumes of the period OF Iss7s3s And here begin
the true delight and the bitter disappointment OF collectors
Dodd Mead & Co.. The New York publishers however.
have made collection OF first editions Of Tennyson, which,
while not quite complete closely approaches perfection ia
this regard 1t is the fruit OF three work the part
OF the hrn who, naturally enough, will part with their
treasure only whole To dispense this collection
would be act OF eparabe vandalism Next possess
ing the collection itself the book will desire have the
catalogue which an excellent piece Of work thorough and
exhaustive yet stopping within safe distance Of the
cning point Of minute photographic ncuomania.
The FIRST private issue Of The Lovers Tale" and the
preliminary trial tdylls OF the King are al
most beyond the hope of the collector the compiler of this
catalogue informs us, and yet-we must give all
hope for copy Of the second OF these unobtainahe
treasures was purchased but few years ago by New
Yorker from English BOOKSELLER who quite
OF the vsue Of the book he sold. And copy Of
Fanshawe discovered in unlikely place and has the
number OF known copies OF the First Folio largely increased
since the early years of She last century?
IN this collection we find ptoporonaey large number
liked his TO his poems in print months,
and sometimes years before qualifications for said,
poetry looks better convincing in print Further
while going the end Of t possibilities
here presented the collection is rich successive
made valuable by alterations reyisions and cxcsons
as feunyson was ever making.
The 6rs book in the list Poems by Two Brothers"
there really threethe manuscript OF which dis
covered hut few years ago in the possession the print
brought $4,000 Sohoys its purchasers Messrs
Macmillan Bowes of Cambridge offering il FIRST Trinity
college and upon rs refusal selling /, IA Messrs Dodd
lead & Co VIII he audi
made OF its Importance raised fund bought the
treasure and placed it in their library.
The prize be striven for the Lovers Tale written
when Tennyson in his 10th and published by him
in It's authoritative form in 1870. appeared his early
he later declared it written hetoro he had read
line OF his work Tho certainly Tennysonian fore
shadowing the work that to
Here far away seen from the topn,ost cliff
Filling with purple gloom the vacancies
Between the tuted hills. the sloping
Hung in mid-Heaven and halfway down sails,
White as white cloud hoated from sky to sky.
In tho first edition OF Poems Chiefly Lyrical" tts,o)
certainly find in posse, at least all the great qualities Of
Tennyson's art
There is copy the edition Of I'm Menoran," in
this lection; there also, according 90 the present
Lord ennysons Memoir OF his father private issue of
few copies given few friends" Here Us another prize
to be striven for Messrs Dodd Mead Co confess that
they have failed this private issue and apparently
even doubt its publication. Andrew lang. mentions
this small private edition in his recently published Alfred
Teruyson but he eontcssedy accepts the Aemoir
his authority in OF this kind his
be taken oorroborative evidence,
The "Charge of the Light Brigade" appeared for the
FIRST in book form in the FIRST edition Of MAUD and
Other Poems" (I8Ss) version much altered from that
printed in the London Examiner Of December 9, 1854 The
expression, Some had Numbered taken from the
port the charge the London Times the first line OF the
poem fashioned and is keynote il its inspiration which
occurred twice in the Examiner version here struck
entirely Ruskn protested against this excision at
precisely the traeoa line in the poem 1t is
its history essential its tragedy Tennyson himself
had already this and the line in stanza
third version that used which originally printed
in separate Issue Of the poem single sheet Of four
pages printed the poets for distribution among
the soldiers before Sebastopo
This separate issue had the following predatory note
dated August 8, 1885!
Having heard that the brave soldiers at Sebastopol
whom am proud TO call my oountrymen have liking
for my ballad the charge OF the Light Brigade az
Balal<ava have ordered thousand copies Of II 70 be
printed for them No writing OF mine add TO the
glory they have acquired in the Crmea but II what
! have heard be tTec, tkes will he disneased
ceive these copies Of the ballad from and know
! that those who sit at home love and honor them
long letter from Tennyson John Forster giving in
srucon for the printing OF this separate issue found
in the Memoir" In il the that be Is convinced
that This the best version" and that he criticism Of
two three London friends" induced him spoil the
poem when reprintng Il with Maud"
This photography OF the First Editions in Book Form
OF Works OF Alfred Lord Tennysou Is Of interest
only collectors and photographers but also 10 all Jenny
sonisns.