Books

First edition, first impression, one of 1,000 copies, notably uncommon in the jacket, this copy from the distinguished collection of John Henry von Schröder. Collecting from as early as 1939 and buying directly from Christopher Hassall, the friend and biographer of Eddie Marsh, Schröder assembled one of the finest Brooke collections, including many volumes from the poet's library. The collection was published in a handsome catalogue by the Rampant Lions Press in 1970. The volume is divided into four sections, which include the much anthologized "The Soldier" ("If I should die, think only this of me: / That there's some corner of a foreign field / That is for ever England"). Shortly after Brooke's death in 1915, Winston Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty, paid anonymous tribute: "The poet-soldier told with all the simple force of genius the sorrow of youth about to die, and the sure triumphant consolations of a sincere and valiant spirit" (The Times, 26 April 1915). Octavo. Original blue cloth, printed paper label to head of spine, spare title label tipped-in at rear as issued, top edge trimmed, others untrimmed. With dust jacket and original glassine. Housed in custom red morocco-backed solander box. Portrait frontispiece with tissue guard. A near-fine copy in very good dust jacket, spine panel barely toned thanks to glassine and minimally ruffled at foot, offsetting to front panel from bookplate inside folding case, couple of nicks, two closed tears to at bottom of rear panel, edges otherwise sharp, a striking example. John Schröder, Catalogue of books and manuscripts by Rupert Brooke, Edward Marsh & Christopher Hassall, 1970, no. 15.

This collection of poems includes Rupert Brooke's famous war sonnets and captures his idealistic view of the First World War.