At Sundown

Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1892. This is a true first trade edition, first state, of Whittier's last collection of 18 poems published during his lifetime. The book was originally published in a privately printed edition of only 277 copies, mainly for the author's friends, in 1890. The public demand was such that Whittier expanded the slender volume, adding additional poems, for this, the first trade edition of 1892. The "point" that distinguishes this volume as a "first state" copy is an error on the "List of Illustrations" page that lists the last of the nine illustrations, "Lapse tenderly away," as being on Page 64. Later printings corrected this error to the correct page, 68. (If you bother to email the sellers of most alleged first trade editions at this site regarding this error, you will find that they are actually later printings.) The book is in very good condition. It has white cloth covers, with die-stamped gilt lettering, borders, and an elaborate design on the front panel, as well as gilt spine lettering. There is also top-edge gilt. The white cloth is mainly clean, but has light foxing spots. As for the interior, the hinges are secure, and the binding is tight. There is a small gift inscription on the free front endpaper. The text and illustrations pages are clean, white, and sparkling throughout. The frontispiece page, with a portrait of the author, has its original tissue guard. The book measures roughly 5 by 7 ¼ inches and includes 70 pages. See photo.. First Trade. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Poetry.