Growing Pains
New York: B. W. Huebsch, 1918. From the Bart Auerbach Collection. 8vo . O riginal cloth-backed boards, uncut. C overs soiled, corners worn. Item #409225
First edition of the poet's first book. The dedication copy to her husband, the poet and critic Louis Untermeyer, inscribed on the front flyleaf by Jean with eight lines of verse: "To Louis: – Take my heart in a book; / Take strength that is born of pain, / And take me again and again / In a sigh or a look. / Joy's come - it will abide – / Washed clean by unending tears. / I give thanks to the struggling years; / I have grown at your side. / Jean. / December fourth. 1918." The printed dedication is "To Louis:" followed by a musical theme in six bars. Louis Untermeyer was in many ways responsible for launching his wife's career. Jean married him in 1907 and shortly thereafter began writing poems (secretly). Her husband discovered them one day, liked what he saw and sent them off to literary periodicals where they were soon published. Pasted to the rear flyleaf is a clipping of Louis' review of his wife's book for The New York Post of Dec. 14, 1918; a portion of the dust jacket is pasted to the inside rear cover.
WITH:
UNTERMEYER, JEAN STARR. Dreams Out of Darkness. New York: B. W. Huebsch, 1921.
8vo, original cloth-backed boards, uncut . F ore-corners worn.
First edition of the poet's second book, also the dedication copy to her husband Louis Untermeyer. This time the dedication page reproduces in printed form the poem in the inscription in her first book. The inscription by Jean in 'Dreams Out of Darkness': "F o r Louis, in whom is central so many of my dreams, and who has, more than any other, the power to make them come true - Jean - November, 1921." Tipped to the inside front cover is a typescript (1p., 4to) of a poem by Jean, entitled "Love and Husbandry (to the true husband-man)" and dedicated "For Louis / October First 1931." ( The Untermeyers were first divorced in 1926, were remarried in 1929, and divorced again a year later ) . Pasted to the rear flyleaves are several reviews of the book, one by Louis for the New York Times Book Review of Nov. 27, 1921. Jean Starr Untermeyer is perhaps best known for her translation of Herman Broch's ' Der Tod des Vergil ' ( ' The Death of Virgil ' published in 1946).
Price: $1,500.00