HANDSOME PRESENTATION SET OF STEDMAN’S POETRY AND CRITICISM, INSCRIBED BY HIM TO GENERAL THOMAS HUBBARD

STEDMAN, Edmund Clarence. Poets of America. WITH: Victorian Poets. WITH: Poetical Works. WITH: Nature and Elements of Poetry. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin, circa 1900. Octavo, mid-20th century three-quarter red morocco, elaborately gilt-decorated spines, raised bands, marbled boards and endpapers, top edges gilt. $1250.

Later editions, uniformly bound, with an autograph letter by Stedman to General Thomas Hubbard tipped into Poetical Works, and inscribed by him to General Hubbard in Victorian Poets, with a signed photographic portrait of the poet and critic laid in. A handsome set of presentation copies.

Known as the “banker poet” for his success in both literature and brokerage, “Stedman brought a scientific rigor to American criticism. Praised in both England and America when it appeared in 1875, Victorian Poets, as Jerome Buckley wrote… was the ‘first substantial critique [written] without special bias… Poets of America, as Kermit Vanderbilt has written… is a ‘milestone,’ the ‘first serious overview of American poetry” (ANB). Poetical Works first published 1873; Victorian Poets, 1875; Poets of America, 1885; Nature and Elements of Poetry, 1892. Poetical Works with an apologetic, one-page autograph letter by Stedman affixed to the first leaf, reading, in full: “Dear General, I would not send you this ‘Household Edition’ of my verses — to 1877- with its young portrait and & absurd ‘illustrations’-except for its being in the set of 4 vols. I’m always hoping to get time to cut out 1/2 the contents of this book, & — the rest into arrangement. E.C.P.” Victorian Poets, inscribed, “To Gen. Thomas H. Hubbard, this set of critical books, which began with ‘Victorian Poets’ in 1875.” The recipient was Thomas Hamlin Hubbard, a railroad lawyer who earned distinction for his military service in the Civil War. With vintage photographic portrait card signed by Stedman laid in.

A fine inscribed presentation set, handsomely bound.