Amy Lowell A Critical Appreciation.
London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, Ltd, 1918.
Price: $750.00
About the item
First edition. 48 pp. 1 vols. 4to. Publisher's stiff red wrappers. Spine rubbed, cover soiling, text a bit toned. Very good. Scarce.
Item #321238
The first book published by W. Bryher, preceded by a book of poems, Religion of Lutany, published in 1914 as by Winifred Ellerman. Ellerman (1893-1983) took the pseudonym from one of the Isles of Scilly. The literary connection with Lowell is notable for its influence on the author’s life.
“At nineteen she discovered imagist poetry and wrote a pamphlet championing Amy Lowell. Lowell returned the favour by fostering Bryher's reputation in America and helping her to publish three poems, 'Wakefulness', 'Rejection', and 'Waste'. Meanwhile Development, described as 'imagistic' and praised by Dorothy Richardson, sparked controversy in the Daily Mail because of its dissenting view of education. Through Lowell, Bryher became aware of Sea Garden, a collection of poems by the American imagist Hilda Doolittle (1886–1961), known as H.D.; Bryher was entranced [. . .]” (ODNB). Bryher met H.D. soon thereafter. Lowell also wrote a preface to the second edition of Bryher’s novel Development (1920).
With a loosely insert copy of a biographical pamphlet published to promote Tendencies in Modern American Poetry (1917): Richard Hunt. Amy Lowell A Sketch of Her Life and Her Place in Contemporary American Literature. 14,[2] pp. Small 8vo. [New York: Macmillan, n.d., 1917]. Printed self wrapper.
