INSCRIBED BY ROBERT FROST

FROST, Robert. Mountain Interval. New York: Henry Holt, 1924. Slim octavo, original half green cloth. $850.

Later edition of this early and important Frost title, inscribed on page 25 below the poem "Meeting and Passing" to a Phillips Andover English instructor and poetry critic, Francis Bertrand McCarthy: "—- for Mr. McCarthy especially. Robert Frost."

"A book full of rich contrast, clarity of vision, human appeal and sharp revelation of character" (New York Times), Mountain Interval features some of Frost's finest verse, including "The Road Not Taken," "Birches," "'Out, Out—" and "The Sound of Trees." The first edition was published in 1916. Without dust jacket. This copy is inscribed to Francis Bertrand McCarthy, an instructor in English and Philosophy at Phillips Andover for nearly 30 years. McCarthy also authored a number of articles and reviews on English and, specifically, poetry for major periodicals including the New York Times, Saturday Review, Quarterly Review of Literature, and Boston Evening Transcript. Frost had an interesting history with Phillips Andover (once Phillips Academy) despite never attending it. One of his close friends, William Jewell, published a poem of Frost's, "The Traitor," anonymously in the school's literary magazine, The Mirror, in 1892, several years before Frost first published a poem under his own name. Frost claimed that he allowed it to help Jewell get in good favor with the magazine, while Jewell claimed that Frost asked him to see if he could get the poem published.Whatever the case, the story emerged in 1960, when Frost visited Phillips Academy to deliver the school's annual Lana Nobel lecture. That was likely when this copy was signed. Bookplate of Francis Bertrand McCarthy.

Only slight toning to interior, wear and toning to extremities of binding. An extremely good inscribed copy.