ORIGINAL CORRECTED AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF 'CONRAD IN SEARCH OF HIS YOUTH AN EXTRAVAGANCE OF TEMPERAMENT.'
Merrick, Leonard:
[London. ca. 1902-3]. 227 numbered leaves, plus lettered inserts. Quarto. Closely written in black ink on lightly ruled paper, with frequent revisions and corrections. Evidently used as the setting manuscript, with occasional ink thumb prints and smudges, but in very good order, contained in a full morocco clamshell case (joint broken). The substantial working manuscript for Merrick's best known novel, published by Grant Richards in 1903, and reissued in 1918 with an introductory essay by J.M. Barrie, who described the novel as "the best sentimental journey written in this country since the publication of the other one." Merrick (born Leonard Miller, 1864-1939) is likely little read these days, except for this novel, but when his Collected Works were published in 1918-1919, Barrie, Wells, Locke, Pinero, Howells, Hewlett, among others, contributed prefatory essays, and CONRAD IN SEARCH OF HIS YOUTH figured on several "highspot" lists of its era.
(Item ID: WRCLIT41709) $7,500.00
Autograph Manuscript of His Best-Known Work