Books

First edition. Small 8vo. Original green cloth with decoration embossed in gilt and black, Carter's variant B. Author's presentation copy, inscribed on publication, "Mary and Catherine Sewell from their affectionate cousin, the Author, Christmas 1877." A very good copy with the front joint neatly repaired, lacking the front endpaper. Light wear to the spine ends and corners. Engraved frontispiece after C. Hewitt. A wonderful family association being a Christmas gift from Anna Sewell to her spinster cousins. Anna Sewell lived only a few months after the publication of her book making inscribed copies extremely uncommon. Confined to the home after a childhood accident, Anna first mentioned that she was writing Black Beauty in her journal on 6th November 1871. She wrote "I am writing the life of a horse, and getting dolls and boxes ready for Christmas". In December 1876 she wrote, "I am getting on with my little book 'Black Beauty'." By this time Anna was becoming more and more crippled and spent much of her time on a sofa writing in pencil, with her mother making a copy. She wrote "I have been confined to the house and to my sofa, from time to time, when I am able, been writing what I think will turn out a little book, its special aim being to induce kindness, sympathy and an understanding treatment of horses". Black Beauty was published at the end of 1877 and Anna lived just long enough to hear of its success. The book has a strong moral purpose and is said to have been instrumental in the abolition of the cruel practice of using the check rein.

Black Beauty is a novel by English author Anna Sewell. It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she remained in her house as an invalid. The novel became an immediate bestseller, with Sewell dying just five months after its publication, long enough to see her first and only novel become a success. It is one of the best-selling books of all time.