John Burroughs (1)Besprekingen

$15. Hardcover. Condition: Great. No Jacket. A volume in "The Riverside Literature Series"; ex-library; green cloth with black lettering and cover design; frontispiece and three other illustrations; spine ends and corners lightly bumped; pages age-tanned, square, clean, and unmarked; binding and hinges tight; gutter paper uncracked; no publication date, but circa 1907 would be a good guess; 94 pp.

$20. 1896 early rare version, in perfect condition. hardcover greencloth.

$10. Early edition 1893. Perfect conditions.

green cloth lettered in gilt; top edge gilt; First edition, fifth impression, with photogravure portrait frontispiece and engraved illustrations throughout the text. Collection of Nature Poems collected/chosen by famous Naturalist John Burroughs.

Excellent Condition

John Burroughs was one of the first to recognize Whitman as a great writer. In fact, before publishing any of the books about natural history which have become Burroughs main genre, he wrote and published Notes on Walt Whitman as Poet and Person in 1867. Burroughs' enthusiasm for Whitman was based on his reading of Leaves of Grass, which was first published in 1855, and reissued in revised and expanded editions several times between 1860 and 1865-1866. John Burroughs and Walt Whitman became friends in 1863. Whitman encouraged Burroughs to write about natural history. Their friendship, and Burroughs admiration for Whitman and his work led him to write a book about Whitman and his poetry. In fact, John Burroughs wrote two books about Walt Whitman, Notes on Walt Whitman as Poet and Person in 1867 and Whitman: A Study in 1896, after Whitman's death in 1892.

From 1860, John Burroughs wrote and published essays, and after 1863 Whitman encouraged him to develop his writing about natural history. Notes on Walt Whitman as poet and person was Burroughs's first book publication. At the time, Burroughs was only 30 years old. Nowadays, this book seems to find very few readers, but it is worthwhile because John Burroughs was a good writer, and as a friend and contemporary of whitman he had a unique perspective. Besides, the book seems to be the fruit of his genuine admiration and recognition of Whitman's genius, and the sense that Whitman was really onto something new, blazoning an entirely new spirit of being American. Few books of literary criticism are written with such genuine enthusiasm.

Notes on Walt Whitman as Poet and Person is a short work of about 100 pages. It is divided into two parts. The first past consists of seven short chapters about different aspects of Leaves of Grass. Part 2 contains a biographical sketch and a review of Drum-Taps. Burroughs writes about his reservations including a biographical sketch of Walt Whitman, considering it unusual to write about a living poet with a short career. Drum-Taps was a volume of poetry Whitman published separately in 1865. It was later integrated into a revised edition of Leaves of Grass.

I enjoyed reading this. John Burroughs writes beautifully about nature. However, this is composed of chopped up bits of the author's many books and writings. It can be confusing. One is reading, becoming immersed in the subject, then suddenly the next paragraph veers off in a different direction. Like a man who sees squirrels. If you keep in mind that each chapter is composed of snippets and not finished thoughts, it reads okay.

I found it interesting to read in light of conservation efforts of today, to compare the thinking and experiences of a lover of nature in the 1800s. Already he speaks of entire species disappearing or becoming scarce. For instance, when he was a boy the skies were black at times with passenger pigeons, but he states that he only sees a few now, when he is out hunting them! He also speaks of the sadness of certain plant species which seem to be disappearing.

It was worth the read just to be transported to the middle of his forest, and the small portion on the ocean may be the most beautiful writing I have read on the sea.½

Frontis portrait plate of Author with facsimile inscription, title page in red & black. Period 1/2 leather binding, raised and gilt bands, compartments gilt decorated with central devices, gilt title labels, marbled covers and end papers. Clean, tight, and sound. Interior contents display a pleasing age patina, paper uniformly gently age toned. Table of Contents includes: Birds and poets -- Touches of nature -- A bird medley -- April -- Spring poems -- Our rural divinity -- Before genius -- Before beauty -- Emerson -- The flight of the eagle.
“Indeed, when I go to the woods or the fields, or ascend to the hilltop, I do not seem to be gazing upon beauty at all, but to be breathing it like the air. I am not dazzled or astonished; I am in no hurry to look lest it be gone. I would not have the litter and debris removed, or the banks trimmed, or the ground painted. What I enjoy is commensurate with the earth and sky itself. It clings to the rocks and trees; it is kindred to the roughness and savagery; it rises from every tangle and chasm; it perches on the dry oak-stubs with the hawks and buzzards; the crows shed it from their wings and weave it into their nests of coarse sticks; the fox barks it, the cattle low it, and every mountain path leads to its haunts. I am not a spectator of, but a participator in it. It is not an adornment; its roots strike to the centre of the earth.” P. 175

Burrough’s second book, first book in the field, his previous book being a self-published study of Walt Whitman. Chocolate-brown cloth boards, beveled cloth decoratively stamped in black and gold. (BAL binding A, no priority). The first chapter heading is, "The Return of the Birds.” This title is presented on the half-title page, apparently mis-bound, or possibly Burrough’s preliminary title.

This is a collection of essays showcasing Burroughs special gift for combining scientific accuracy with a grand poetic expression. "This is mainly a book about the Birds, or more properly an invitation to the study of Ornithology ....".

John Burroughs (1837 - 1921) was a prominent American naturalist, essayist, and active member of the conservation movement. Burroughs' work was incredibly popular during his lifetime, and his legacy lives on including twelve U.S. Schools named after him, Burroughs Mountain, and the Burroughs Medal, the highest award in this country for writing in natural history.

Walt Whitman offered the name “Wake Robin,” referring to the White or Painted Trillium, Trillium undulatum, which blooms in his woods and marks the arrival of the birds, not to awaken a robin. Today the name “wakerobin” generally applies to the red or purple trillium, T. erectum. “For me this flower is associated not merely with the awakening of Robin, for he has been awake some weeks, but with the universal awakening and rehabilitation of nature”, JB.

Includes tipped in letter on back of ffep from John Burroughs: "Washington D.C. July 12, 1876, My Dear Sir: Your letter which has only come to my hand gave me much pleasure. I remember that your eye was the first to approve of some of the sketches and I am proud that the book as a whole meets your approbation. I have not counted... Sincerely, John Burroughs, J.T. Feld? Esq."
Original navy blue cloth, 5" x7.2", black/gold sunset pictorial on lower front board, gilt titles. Worn spine ends, bumped corners. Pages/hinges/text block are very good, no markings, labels, foxing, etc.
Describes in wonderful prose and detail the beauty of winter in the New England countryside, and explores subjects ranging from the simple apple to British country churches. Chapters: WINTER SUNSHINE, EXHILARATIONS OF THE ROAD, THE SNOW WALKERS, THE FOX, A MARCH CHRONICLE, THE APPLE, AN OCTOBER ABROAD: MELLOW ENGLAND, ENGLISH CHARACTERISTICS, GLIMPSE OF FRANCE, FROM LONDON TO NEW YORK.

1/2 dark green leather, 5 raised bands & gilt title on spine, TEG, tight, square, unmarked.

Pictorial brown cloth hardcover with green and black stamped illustration of a squirrel in an oak tree with acorns, gilt titling on spine, top edge gilt. 149 pages, 15 color illustrations after Audubon, and frontispiece from Life, approx. 5.75” x 7.75”. Corners lightly bumped, name neatly written on feb, pages slightly age-toned, a couple of pages have a short edge tear, otherwise in very good condition with solid bindings and clean pages. Each chapter entails delightful sketches of small furry animals in America, including the squirrel, the chipmunk, woodchuck, rabbit, muskrat, skunk, fox and weasel.

The focus of this book is not squirrels, although it starts out with members of their family- gray squirrels, flying squirrels, chipmunks, woodchucks. Goes on to describe minks and weasels, rabbits, skunks, porcupines, raccoons, possums, two kinds of mice, foxes and muskrats. The brief chapters are all first-hand observations of wildlife made by the author on his farmland or in the forest near. He's a good nature writer, although the attitude towards animals not always kindly- seems to be a product of the times. Had no qualms describing hunting down raccoons with dogs, or stomping on a weasel to make it let go of his chicken, or making a porcupine loose all its quills into a wooden board to see what it would do when left without defense. He once dug up a large segment of a bank, curious to find the end of a weasel's maze of tunnels. Those small creatures really do sound fierce!

On the other hand, he writes about most of the animals with admiration or humor, and tells what he learned of their individual habits in interesting detail. The chipmunks are particularly engaging, and the intelligence of the foxes and woodchucks. There are quite a few illustrated plates by none other than John James Audubon; I wish they were larger it is hard to appreciate them on a screen, but still I'm glad they were included.

from the Dogear Diary

Interesting magazine focusing on recreation and sports. Lots of articles on bicycling, hunting, fishing and college sports, including yachting and cricket.

His amazing prose makes nature beautiful and fresh and new.

Comments from numerous luminaries on the creation of an Adirondack Park. Contributors include (among others) C.S. Sargent, John Burroughs, Francis Parkman, Mark Hopkins, Frederick Law Olmstead, Charles Dudley Warner, E.S. Trudeau, Andrew D. White

An excellent discussion by one of America's foremost naturalists of the reality of Nature and man's place in it; Burroughs forthrightly identifies Pantheism as the best solution to the problem of having a religion based on truth not superstition.

A classic by America's most forgotten naturalist. Forgotten by neglect, not by merit! Burroughs ought to be remembered more, for his message in Accepting our Universe is even more relevant today than it was when he wrote it.

In original dust case. Pristine condition.

Riverby [first printing, BAL 2156) 8vo. 319pp
Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company / The Riverside Press, 1894. Very Good+ condition. Blanck's first printing, with the advertisement erroneously describing John Burroughs's Books in 10 volumes. Clean, square, tight, with bookplate. Top edge gilt. Original two-tone cloth (dark green-brown spine and olive-green sides). Gilt lettering on spine shiny. Front cover features a tall flower decoration in dark green.