19 “I Am The Poet Of The Body, And I Am The Poet Of The Soul” 22WHITMAN, Walt. Leaves of Grass. Brooklyn, New York, 1856. 12mo, original dark green cloth, custom clamshell box. $15,000 Rare and enlarged second edition, one of only 1000 copies printed, with frontispiece portrait of Whitman and advertisement leaf following text. With 20 additional poems not appearing in the 1855 first edition—including “A Woman Waits for Me” and “Who Learns My Lesson Complete?” This second edition, with 20 more poems than the first edition in 1855, introduced numerous other changes. The most controversial change would prove to be his inclusion of praise from Ralph Waldo Emerson on the book’s spine. Acknowledging receipt of his complimentary copy of the first edition, Emerson had hailed Whitman’s achievement: “I greet you at the beginning of a great career.” When this unguarded testimonial appeared on the spine of the second edition, Emerson was greatly angered. Myerson A.2.2. Without front free endpaper. Original cloth with a bit of wear, chipping to spine ends, spine faded with the famous Emerson quote on spine still readable, boards fresh with front board gilt bright. Usual foxing through text. Very good condition. A rare and desirable edition of this literary masterpiece. “O Captain! My Captain!” 23WHITMAN, Walt. Drum-Taps. BOUND WITH: Sequel to Drum-Taps. When Lilacs Last in the Door-Yard Bloom’d. New York and Washington, 1865-6. 12mo, original brown cloth, custom box. $12,500 First edition, the important and preferred second issue, one of only 1000 copies, with the first appearance of the sequel celebrating Lincoln containing “Lilacs” and “O Captain! My Captain!” Drum-Taps “stands among the nation’s finest poems” (ANB). Upon the death of Lincoln, Whitman delayed the printing of Drum-Taps and added “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d,” a “profoundly moving dirge for the martyred Lincoln” (CHAL), with separate pagination, table of contents, and title page. Armorial bookplate of bibliographer and poet Percy L. Babington. Text clean, inner paper hinges expertly reinforced, minuscule rubs to cloth extremities. A near-fine copy.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDg3OTM=