Elegy Written in a Country Church-Yard
London: The Limited Editions Club, 1938. First Edition. Limited to 1,500 copies, of which this is No. 1,098. Signed by the illustrator, Agnes Miller Parker, on the limitation page. Octavo, xv, 72 pages, publisher's original silver gilt decorated and embossed black cloth covered boards. Publisher's original clear dust jacket. Publisher's original slipcase. The 1938 Limited Editions Club issue of Elegy Written in a Country Church-Yard presents Thomas Gray’s enduring meditation on mortality, memory, and the quiet dignity of rural life in a form expressly conceived for collectors. Printed to the Club’s exacting standards, the volume is distinguished by Agnes Miller Parker’s evocative wood engravings, whose restrained, pastoral imagery harmonizes beautifully with Gray’s reflective verse. First published in 1751, the Elegy remains one of the most beloved poems in English literature, and this Limited Editions Club edition—handsomely designed, finely printed, and thoughtfully illustrated—stands as a classic example of early twentieth-century American fine-press bookmaking, marrying literary tradition with modern craftsmanship. Some minor discoloration, slight musty smell, else in very good condition. Item #178
Price: $150.00