John Masefield; Constance Babington Smith — On John Masefield Collection

London; Oxford, William Heinemann Ltd; Oxford University Press; Buchan and Enright, 1947-1983. First edition. Cloth. An insightful collections of works which offer an intimate portrait of the fascinating 1930 poet laureate. All first editions. An insightful collection on John Masefield, the 1930 poet laureate. The collection contains his Thanks Before Going, published by William Heinemann in 1947. John Masefield: A Life, a biography written by British journalist Constance Babington Smith, published by Oxford University Press in 1978, and Masefield's posthumously published Letters to Reyna, edited by writer and peer William Buchan, published by Buchan and Enright in 1983. All first editions.In the publisher's original cloth, in the original unclipped dust wrappers.Known as a poet of the sea, Masefield became a sensation ever since The Everlasting Mercy was published in 1911, establishing himself as a poet, playwright, historian and novelist among many other things. This collection allows any fan of Masefield to learn the fascinating individual behind the poet.Thanks Before Going is a collection of intriguing essays written by Masefield on his fascinations, including Pre-Raphaelite founder Dante Gabriel Rossetti, artist William Morris, rigging model ships and the production of Macbeth. Babington Smith's biography offers an intimate portrait of the author's life, while Masefield's Letters to Reyna, his extensive correspondence with violinist Audrey Napier-Smith during the last fifteen years of his life, gives us a glimpse of his absorbing thoughts and challenging experiences. In the publisher's original cloth, in the original unclipped dust wrappers. Externally, in excellent condition, with very minor bumping to the heads and tails of the spines. Dust wrappers of Reyna and Life are very clean with minimal handling marks. Slight fading to wrapper spine of Life, heavier to Thanks. Smudge marks to wrapper of Thanks, with shelf wear to the extremities. Small chips to the head and tail of the wrapper spine of Thanks, and two small closed tears to the bottom edge of Thanks wrapper. End papers are bright and clean, with the very faint odd spot to extremities of Thanks. A bookplate to front paste down of Thanks. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean, with very faint small spotting to top right corner of the occasional leaf in Reyna. Very Good Indeed . Ill.: None. Very Good Indeed/Very Good.