New Letters from Ernest Dowson
Andoversford: The Whittington Press, 1984. First, Limited Edition. Royal 8vo, 10 x 6 1/3 inches (250 x 160 mm); 49 pp. Lithographic reproduction of a portrait of the author by William Rothenstein tipped-in as frontispiece. Machine-set in 12-point Monotype Walbaum and printed in black and olive green on Sommerville cream laid paper. Quarter-bound by Smith Settle in Canapetta brown cloth, with a cream spine-label and Whittington printed paper-covered boards. Headband, top-edge tan. Dark brown Ingres endpapers.
Numbered 148 of 200 copies, signed by the author.
[Butcher 72].
A finely produced Whittington Press edition that brings fresh insight into the life and sensibility of Ernest Dowson, one of the most evocative voices of the English Decadent movement. These previously unpublished letters illuminate Dowson’s literary friendships, personal struggles, and the melancholic lyricism that would define his legacy. The press’s hallmark craftsmanship is evident throughout. Limited to just 200 signed copies, this is both a scholarly contribution and a beautifully executed private press book, appealing equally to collectors of fine printing and admirers of fin-de-siècle literature.
Ernest Dowson (1867–1900) was an English poet and writer associated with the Decadent movement and the Rhymers’ Club, alongside figures such as W. B. Yeats and Lionel Johnson. Best known for his lyrical poetry marked by themes of transience, unrequited love, and aesthetic melancholy, Dowson’s work includes the celebrated poem “Non sum qualis eram bonae sub regno Cynarae.” His brief and troubled life—shadowed by ill health, financial difficulty, and alcoholism—has contributed to his enduring image as a quintessential fin-de-siècle poet.
Condition: Fine.
Item number: 2407
ISBN: 0904845621
Price: $100.00
Share: