The Way to Attain". Author's Autograph Manuscript, signed ("Arthur Machen, Sept 27, 1922"), a reminiscence of the origins of his book, Fantastic Tales; or, The Way to Attain
by Machen, Arthur
- Used
- Fine
- Signed
- Condition
- Fine
- Seller
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New York, New York, United States
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About This Item
Machen outlines the circumstances of the book's evolution (reading in part): "In 1888, cataloguing for Messrs. Robson & Karslake, then of Coventry street, I came upon a little dumpy book dated 1610. It was called 'Le Moyen de Parvenir', by Beroalde de Verville & looking into it, I perceived that it was, almost if not quite, the queerest book in the world. In 1922 this would be a reason for having nothing more to do with it; in 1888 the queerness was a fatal attraction. And so I set about translating a book the French of which is so difficult, obscure, &, I would say, cantankerous ... the grossness of much of the text appalled the printers: one after another refused to print it. ... Later I 'modified' Beroalde's freedoms, and made a new version ..."
A few phrases from this short essay can de detected in Machen's "annotations" to the entries on The Way to Attain in Danielson's 1923 Bibliography; a completely rewritten essay, dated April 1923 and retaining only a few different sentences from this manuscript, was published as the introduction to the 1923 Boni & Liveright printing; as Goldstone & Sweetser note, that introduction was not reprinted. An attractive and largely unpublished manuscript, boldly signed by Machen and dated Sept 27, 1922, on the last page. See Goldstone & Sweetser 57e
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Details
- Bookseller
- James Cummins Bookseller (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 352195
- Title
- The Way to Attain". Author's Autograph Manuscript, signed ("Arthur Machen, Sept 27, 1922"), a reminiscence of the origins of his book, Fantastic Tales; or, The Way to Attain
- Author
- Machen, Arthur
- Format/Binding
- 3 leaves, pencil on ruled wove paper, with one holograph deletion. 1 vols. 8vo
- Book Condition
- Used - Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Place of Publication
- [N.p., London]
- Date Published
- 1922
- Keywords
- British
- Bookseller catalogs
- Literature;
Terms of Sale
James Cummins Bookseller
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About the Seller
James Cummins Bookseller
About James Cummins Bookseller
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- Fine
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- Leaves
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