The nigger of the “Narcissus.”

London: William Heinemann, 1898. FIRST EDITION. Original publisher’s slate-colored cloth with gilt stamping on front cover, and with the imprint on spine uniform. An excellent copy. First English edition (first printing), with “hi” missing from “his” on page 146. It was first published in America under the title Children of the sea. This allegorical novella is derived from Conrad’s personal experience aboard a voyage from Bombay to London. Exploring the themes of isolation and solidarity, the turbulent journey of James Wait and the crew of the Narcissus serves as a microcosm of the late nineteenth century shipping industry, and calls attention to the societal effects of suffering.

Conrad (1857-1924) was a master of English-language prose. Known for his ability to depict trials of the human spirit, his works are regarded as some of the best to come out of the early twentieth century modernist movement. Writing at the height of the British Empire, Conrad drew from his own experiences to create his short stories and novels that reflect aspects of a Eurocentric world and that profoundly explore the human psyche.