The Seaside and The Fireside

Boston: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, 1850. First Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine. First printing, octavo size, 148 pp. Three groupings of poems: seven "By the Seaside", thirteen "By the Fireside", the book also includes two translations, "The Blind Girl of Castel-Cuille" and "A Christmas Carol", plus a Notes section at the end. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) was one of the most revered and popular poets of his day, earning almost instant recognition with his early poems both in America and abroad, and remaining beloved throughout his life. Upon his death, he became the first non-British writer for whom a commemorative sculpted bust was placed in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey in London; he remains the only American poet represented with a bust (n. b., per Wiki).

___DESCRIPTION: Brown cloth boards with blind-embossed ruled border and decorative device in the middle of both front and back boards, gilt lettering on the spine, yellow endpapers, publisher's catalogue inserted between the front paste-down and the front free endpaper; octavo size, pagination: 4 pp. ads iv [2] [1]-141 [1 blank].

___CONDITION: Overall near fine, with a strong, square text block, solid hinges, straight corners with a minimum of rubbing, the interior is clean and bright, the only prior owner marking being a vintage inscription written at the top margin of the publisher's catalogue, minor scuffing to the back board, minor wear to the head and tail of the spine.

___CITATION: BAL 12099, earliest state of this work with 4-page publisher's catalog inserted before front free endpaper and dated October 1, 1849. Publisher records indicate 5,000 copies were printed in December 1849.

___POSTAGE: Additional postage may be required for international orders, please inquire of bookseller for exact amount.

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