The Most Savage Animal

London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1972. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. London, Rupert Hart-Davis, 1972 (first edition). Octavo, [viii], 373 pages. Papered boards; a fine copy with the fine dustwrapper. The half-title is inscribed by the author 'To Peter Osborn, who invited me for a drink. Hugh Atkinson. Leura [NSW], 6th June '78'). Loosely inserted is a note from the author's wife Phoebe, written on the same day. 'Dear Father Peter: I do hope you enjoy this book of Hugh's. It was written out of much heartache following a period on the front in Vietnam just prior to the Tet offensive of '68; and then suffered three years litigation by the Red Cross in Geneva who objected to their (un-)neutrality being exposed.... With very many thanks for your Christian warmth & hospitality'.

Provenance: Father Peter George Osborn (1914-1999) was born in South Australia, where his father had taken up the foundation Chair in Botany at the University of Adelaide in 1912. He spent his early years in Adelaide, before moving to Sydney in 1932, where his father had been appointed Professor of Botany at the University of Sydney. Osborn was much involved in the theatre, active in the Sydney University Dramatic Society, and also a contributor to the Honi Soit student newspaper. After graduating in 1935, he travelled to London, where he began a promising career in the theatre. On the outbreak of war, however, he was called up for service and in 1940 entered the navy, spending the war years as a seaman on the battleship H.M.S. Calpe. After demobilisation he remained with the Royal Navy until 1961 as an instructor at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich.

On retirement from the navy, Osborn trained for the ministry of the Anglican Church and was ordained as a deacon in 1963. He subsequently served as a curate and a chaplain at Geelong Grammar and at Abingdon School. In 1975, he returned to Adelaide and was offered the living of St. Cyprian's Church in North Adelaide and also assisted in the teaching of divinity at his old school, St. Peter's College. He soon became involved in the theatre again and performed in a number of charity plays and in film productions and was created the Bishop's "chaplain for the arts"' (biographical note to the Osborn papers in the University of Adelaide Library).