Marah

London: Longmans, Green, and Co, 1892 . First edition. Vellum. Very Good Indeed. 7.5" by 5.5". None. The scarce first trade edition of this posthumously published volume of poetry by Lord Lytton, with a handwritten letter from his widow, Edith Bulwer-Lytton, Countess of Lytton. The scarce first trade edition of this work, which first appeared in a privately printed edition the year prior.The work of Edward Robert Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton, who published poetry under the pseudonym Owen Meredith.Lytton died in late 1891, and tipped in to the front blanks is a letter from his wife, Edith Bulwer-Lytton, Countess of Lytton, dated March 1892.She begins the letter 'Dear Sir, we sent to you a first edition of Lord Lytton's poems', but explains that by 'some accident' the address was incorrect. She continues 'in your kind letter to me after my dear husband's death you mentioned having still a small sum to pay'. She says she will have the amount placed on credit, and closes the missive with 'believe me dear sir very faithfully, Edith Lytton'.The individual the letter is addressed to is not named.From the library of A. P. Watt & A. S. Watt of A. P. Watt and Son, literary agent of Rudyard Kipling. The charming illustrated bookplate of British literary agent A. P. Watt appears to the front pastedown. Watt is generally regarded as the first true literary agent, when he arrived on the literary scene in the late 1870s. In the publisher's original paper vellum binding, with gilt detailing. Back strip age toned, with bumping to back strip head and tail. Board perimeters a touch age toned. Bookplate to front pastedown. Letter pasted to front free endpaper and first blank. Internally, firmly bound. Pages clean and bright. Very Good Indeed