Heroes of the Spanish-American War and Lyre and Sword of Spain: Two Epic Poems.
New York: N.p., 1899. Hardcover. 12mo. Off-white cloth with black lettering, rules and decoration. 220pp, (3pp ads). Full-page plates, text leaves ruled in red. Very good. Binding typically age toned and slightly soiled, else tight and internally fine; 7 full-page glossy plates, and while illustrations page calls for frontispiece and 20 plates, there's no evidence of these plates. Item #45593
Truly tight and quite attractive first edition of this patriotic narrative poem -- with fine autograph addition: This copy extra-illustrated with special frontispiece, a fine glossy reproduction of a photographic portrait of John D. Long (verso a photograph of then-President William McKinley) on the blank lower margin of which is affixed a clipped (3¼" X 7/8") slip signed boldly by Long. Long (1838-1915) was a Massachusetts congressman and governor who served as Secretary of the Navy (1897-1902) during the Spanish-American War and of course appears as a character in Price's poem: "Long swift assembled on the sea / ... Fleets by gallant Commanders led / ... The Secretary's mind was train'd / Through busy action's varied scenes,-- / Well drill'd, well school'd; wise course maintain'd / Till varied gifts high place sustain'd...." Scarce, and though apparently lacking some called for plates, this sharp copy bears an added frontispiece and signature of a major player. Most unusual.
Price: $195.00