Symonds, John Addington (Peters, Robert; Smith, Timothy d'Arch)

Gabriel: A Poem

London, England: Michael de Hartington, 1974. Limited First Edition. Sewn Wrappers. "The present poem has not previously been published except for the first three-and-ninety lines which appeared in Many Moods (1878) under the title 'On the riviera'. It dates from about 1868 as we can tell from a letter Symonds wrote to Henry Graham Dakyns, a close friend and a careful custodian of Symonds' manuscripts. It is of course homosexual in inspiration and, if superficially insincere, it bears the stamp of its author's desperate violence of emotion which overwhelmed him to the point of sometimes damaging his health." (from editors' Introduction) An intense work by the great Victorian poet John Addington Symonds (1840-1893), "Now first edited from the original manuscript by Robert L. Peters & Timothy d'Arch Smith." (from title page) Peters (1924-2014) was a great, unique & innovative American poet, playwright, performer, professor & critic who began as a scholar of Victorian literature. As with this production, he engaged in this topic & its foremost figures throughout his long, otherwise iconoclastic career. Smith is a renowned British writer, bibliographer & bookseller. Symonds' poem is preceded by an introduction by Peters & Smith, & followed by textual notes. A beautifully hand-crafted chapbook, one of 140 hand-numbered copies, this is copy No. 28/140. On the title page, Peters has hand-inscribed & signed: "For Jim-/ Gabriel, you are a darling,/ making Christ bleed and weep,/ as ("you" crossed out) He did-/ (signed) Robert/ 20 May 86/ doodle-flourish." "Jim" is the late James Perrizo, an important Beat-&-Beyond collector & scholar who befriended & corresponded with Peters. A very desirable Symonds-Peters-Smith rarity, especially with this inscription, association & provenance. In very fine condition with only a few faint, mostly small spots, one small coin-sized, in lower blank area of front cover; tiny bit of wear & a few tiny, closed tears & creases at edges & corners of front & back covers (mostly due to nature of handmade paper & slight extension beyond size of interior common to chapbooks). Interior very fine with only miniscule bumps at corners of a few page leaves; otherwise substantially mint. Very Fine. [Item #3263]

Price: $50.00 save 20% $40.00