William Cullen Bryant

Letters of a Traveller; or, Notes of Things Seen in Europe and America [with ALS to a Mr. Gannis regarding George Harvey, the artist and economist]

New York / London: George P. Putnam / Richard Bentley, 1850. Very Good. Item #13146

New York / London: George P. Putnam / Richard Bentley, 1850. First Edition. Signed, handwritten letter from Bryant tipped in at front free endpaper.

Octavo; 442pp. Publisher's blue cloth with blindstamped border enclosing publisher logo to front and back and lettering in gilt to spine. Yellow endpapers. No publisher's catalog at back. A number of pages still uncut. BAL notes two bindings, but establishes no priority. Boards edgeworn with bumping and some exposure at corners, fading along edges and down spine, heavy bumping with some fraying at spine ends, and some staining and soiling to surface. Opens easily between gatherings, but binding is secure. Pages a bit toned with some light occasional offsetting over text and occasional marginal distress to pages from overly-eager page-opening, never interfering with text.

Bryant's letter is addressed on Nov. 7th 1874 to a Mr. Grannis and is in regards to his friend and correspondent, the landscape artist and economist George Harvey (1800-1878). Bryant writes:

"Dear Sir, I enclose you a letter from Mr. Harvey the artist. Will you be kind enough to look at the pictures in Matthews's Gallery, and see if any pictures of Mr. Harvey please you [to notice them?] -- any others which you see of merit. Mr. Harvey's pictures have the peculiarity that he has made atmospheric effect a [__?__] with success. If you can help him do -- for he is quite melancholy. Yours truly, W.C. Bryant. // Mr. Gannis."

Price: $400.00