The Eulogy of Richard Jefferies, Walter Besant — 1st Edition

£55.00

The Eulogy of Richard Jefferies, Walter Besant — 1st Edition

Name: The Eulogy of Richard Jefferies, Walter Besant — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4898
Price: 55.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly, 1888

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [viii], 384.

Condition Report: Good. The original dark blue cloth binding remains structurally intact but displays definitive signs of age and shelf-wear. The spine is noticeably rubbed along the joints, with fraying and slight loss to the cloth at both the head and tail. The boards exhibit minor scuffing, and the corners are gently bumped and worn. Internally, the binding remains firm, though the hinges show minor signs of strain. The page edges are markedly tanned and uncut, characteristic of the period. The text block itself is generally clean with occasional, scattered foxing primarily relegated to the preliminary leaves and text block edges. The tissue guard protecting the frontispiece portrait remains intact.

Catalogue Note: This 1888 first edition is presented in the publisher's original dark blue cloth, featuring a blind-stamped 'C&W' monogram on the front board, blind-stamped borders, and gilt titling to the spine. The volume includes the stated frontispiece portrait of Richard Jefferies and features a philosophical epigraph from Henry David Thoreau on the title page. Provenance features an early ink ownership signature ("S.W. Hamilton, 1889") on the front free endpaper, alongside a contemporary bookseller's ticket for "J. W. Compston, Levenshulme" affixed to the front paste-down endpaper. As a primary biographical text published shortly after Jefferies's death, this first edition remains moderately accessible on the open market but is becoming increasingly uncommon in its unrestored, original state.

Published just a year after the premature passing of the celebrated English nature writer Richard Jefferies, Walter Besant's The Eulogy of Richard Jefferies stands as the first major biographical assessment of his life and work. Besant, a highly successful novelist and contemporary, passionately championed Jefferies's literary genius at a time when he remained largely underappreciated by the broader public. Rather than a purely objective history, Besant's work is a heartfelt appreciation, a true eulogy, that helped cement Jefferies’s lasting legacy as a masterful chronicler of rural England and a profound mystical thinker whose writings would heavily influence subsequent generations of naturalists.

Book Condition: Good

Book Authors: Walter Besant

Book Publisher: Chatto & Windus

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Autobiography, Biography & Memoirs

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 384

Book Publication Year: 1888

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.