Author: GRISWOLD, Rufus W.
Title: Gems from American Female Poets with Brief Biographical Notices
Description: Philadelphia, H. Hooker, 1842. Hardcover. 32mo. Original blind-embossed brown cloth with elaborate spine gilt lettering and decorations. x, 192pp. All edges gilt. Very good. Binding gently worn, with spine gilt bright and nice but page edge gilt heavily worn; tight internally, with text pages age toned and a bit mottled. Scarce first edition of this exceptionally early all-female poetry anthology, with contributors including Lydia Sigourney Weaver, Sara Josepha Hale, Sarah Helen Whitman, Lydia M. Child, Francis Sargent Osgood and other once-notable, now-forgotten poets of the day. Griswold compiled this anthology not because he championed women, but rather to preserve status quo and show that female poets mainly espoused the morals of the day. This most unusual copy bears, tipped to the inner flyleaf, a near fine 4" X 2" slip signed vertically in pencil "Rufus W. Griswold / New York University / July 5, 1849." Griswold (1815-57) was an influential verse anthologist, editor, critic and poet, infamously eccentric and dislikeable, best remembered for his vitriolic style and for his connection to Edgar Allan Poe. He kept an apartment at New York University around this time, which he rarely left due to his many physical ailments and addictions. Front flyleaf bears a quaint non-authorial gift inscription from one poetry lover to another, delicately penned in brown ink: "Maria Pinkham / from her friend / Elizabeth J. Aldrich / 4th Mo. 12th 1845." Spine title: "Gems of Female Poets." Quite a charming volume -- and quite rarely seen. .

Keywords: Poetry


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