THE MONTH - AT GOODSPEED’S BOOK SHOP - APRIL,1954

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Theodore

April 1954 issue of a conversational catalog from Goodspeed’s Book Shop in Boston, offering book, print, painting, and autograph highlights. The featured article presents “Two Years Before the Mast,” focusing on the first English edition and R. H. Dana Jr.’s presentation copies, including publication history, inscriptions, copyright shifts, and valuation references. The issue also introduces an original oil painting by A. F. Tait, with biographical notes, publication quotations, cover artwork details, and pricing information.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages32

Reading Time49 min

AccessFree to download

THE MONTH

A PRESENTATION - “TWO YEARS” - THE FIRST ENGLISH EDITION

ORIGINAL OIL PAINTING BY TATE

THE MONIHAT GOODSPEED'S 21 1954 TTT尊 From an original oil painting by"our greatestsporting artist”—A.F.Tait,1864...see page 133 uuuuuu uu LuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuUu uLuuuIaluuu APRIL.1954-VoLUME XXV-NUMBER 7 The“Thumb”Franklin,from the mezzotint en-graving by Edward Savage,1793...see page 146 # THE MONTH AT GOODSPEED’S BOOK SHOP 18 Beacon Street,Boston 8,Massachusetts 8 VOL.XXV,NO.7 APRIL,1954 A conversatlonal catalogue of books,prints,paintings,and autographs.Pub-lished nine times each year,from October to June.NORMAN L.DODGE,Editor # A PRESENTATION“TWO YEARS”THE FIRST ENGLISH EDITION RICHARD HENRY DANA,JR.,was not pleased withthe way the Harpers handled publication of his TwoYears Before the Mast,which may explain the fact thatpresentation copies of the American first edition are rare-ly,if ever,met with;which is a way of saving that weknow of none.On the other hand,he was especiallypleased with the treatment given by Moxon,publisher ofthe first English edition,a copy of which we now have,bearing on a fly leaf Dana's presentation inscription:“Mrs.[George]Ticknor Respectfully from R.H.D.Jr.” In the Harvard Library Bulletin for Autumn of 1953Robert F.Metzdorf offered a very interesting paper on"The Publishing History of ...Two Years Before theMast”,based on Dana MSS.at Harvard and the Library'sholding of 140“editions,issues,re-impressions,and vari-ants”of the book that have appeared since 1840."Rela-tions with the publishers were ...none too good fromthe beginning;they deteriorated rapidly as time passed,”Mr.Metzdorf wrote,observing presently that in gettingTwo Years plus copyright for the proverbial song Harpers"had bought a good thing cheap."In a letter of Oct.14,1840,to William Cullen Bryant(who had fostered pub-lication)R.H.Dana,Sr.wrote:"The book takes marvel-lously,”adding prophetically,"I expect to be henceforth THEspoken of as the Father of the writer of Two Years Be-MONTHfore the Mast...."Though the Harpers were very whistas to how many copies had been sold,two years after pub-lication the author wrote in his journal: "I am told on excellent authority that now(Aug.1842)thebook is worth $10,000 to them.Perhaps it is better for me thatthe money should be in their hands than in mine.It is goodfor a man to bear the yoke in his youth.'I would not take themoney,if I had to take one tithe of their spirit with it." In 1868 the copyright reverted to the author but in themeantime,Dana believed,the Harpers had made $50,000,while for his share he had received from them less than [132] $250(out of which he had paid for some proof-reading AT GOOD-to satisfy his own exacting standards)and perhaps 25 or SPEED'S30 copies of the grubby and not expensive little volumewhich housed the first edition of what Carl Van Dorencalled that “crisp and nautical”story,"that incomparableclassic of the sea."But,writes Mr.Metzdorf: “...there were pleasant occurrences.Edward Moxon pub-lished an edition in England in 1841...and,although inter-national piracy was rife,the grateful publisher sent Dana ‘notonly presentation copies,but a sum of money larger than theHarpers had given him for his manuscript.'”(The inner quoteis from C.F.Adams's Life of Dana.) Which brings us back to where we started—to a presen-tation of the congenial first English edition.Two YearsBefore the Mast is one of the Grolier Club’s One HundredInfluential American Books,in which it appears as one offour titles which Dr.Thomas H.Johnson says notably"represent America as a geographical frontier."The oth-er three are Mather's Magnalia(1702),the Lewis andClark Expedition(1814),and Parkman's Oregon Trail(1849).Two Years is also on that lively and choosyCaliforniana list,The Zamorano 80,in which connectionLibrarian Leslie E.Bliss comments:"If not the most wide-ly read book on California,certainly this ranks high onsuch a list."Though he subtitled his book A PersonalNarrative of Life at Sea,actually Dana spent about seven-teen months of his

FAQs

What is emphasized about “Two Years Before the Mast” in this issue?

It highlights the rarity and significance of American first-edition presentation copies and details the first English edition connected to R. H. Dana Jr. and his inscription.

What historical details are discussed regarding publication and publishers?

The text describes Dana’s reactions to publication handling, Moxon’s role in the first English edition, and changes in copyright and financial outcomes over time.

What artwork is featured under “ORIGINAL OIL PAINTING BY TATE”?

An original oil painting by Arthur Fitzwilliam Tate (A. F. Tait) is profiled, including background on Tate’s career and specifics of the cover illustration such as signature and dimensions.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Theodore