EMERSON, RALPH WALDO. The Method of Nature. An Oration, Delivered before the Society of the Adelphi, in Waterville College, in Maine, August 11, 1841. Boston: Samuel G. Simpkins, 1841. 8vo, original printed light brown wrappers, ends of spine slightly chipped. FIRST EDITION, one of possibly 500 copies printed, AN EXTRAORDINARY PRESENTATION COPY TO HENRY DAVID THOREAU, inscribed in Thoreau's hand in pencil at top of title-page: "Henry D. Thoreau from R.W.E.". Myerson A11.1; BAL 5190; Walter Harding, Thoreau's Library (Charlottesville, 1957), p. 47 (Concord Public Library, since deaccessioned). "Emerson's fame as a speaker before educational bodies continued to bring him invitations...This address [at what is now Colby College], which purported to see how far the method of nature was 'transferable to the literary life,' was not a success. Emerson had difficulty putting it together, and the commencement audience had trouble understanding him" -- John D. Gordan, Ralph Waldo Emerson... Catalogue of an Exhibition from the Berg Collection (New York, NYPL, 1953), p. 16. A fine copy, connecting Emerson and Thoreau -- one of the most profound associations in American literature.Provenance: Ralph Waldo Emerson, presentation to Henry David Thoreau (inscription in hand of latter); Concord Public Library (later deaccessioned); George Talbot Goodspeed (private collection).

EMERSON, RALPH WALDO. The Method of Nature. An Oration, Delivered before the Society of the Adelphi, in Waterville College, in Maine, August 11, 1841. Boston: Samuel G. Simpkins, 1841. 8vo, original printed light brown wrappers, ends of spine slightly chipped. FIRST EDITION, one of possibly 500 copies printed, AN EXTRAORDINARY PRESENTATION COPY TO HENRY DAVID THOREAU, inscribed in Thoreau's hand in pencil at top of title-page: "Henry D. Thoreau from R.W.E.". Myerson A11.1; BAL 5190; Walter Harding, Thoreau's Library (Charlottesville, 1957), p. 47 (Concord Public Library, since deaccessioned). "Emerson's fame as a speaker before educational bodies continued to bring him invitations...This address [at what is now Colby College], which purported to see how far the method of nature was 'transferable to the literary life,' was not a success. Emerson had difficulty putting it together, and the commencement audience had trouble understanding him" -- John D. Gordan, Ralph Waldo Emerson... Catalogue of an Exhibition from the Berg Collection (New York, NYPL, 1953), p. 16. A fine copy, connecting Emerson and Thoreau -- one of the most profound associations in American literature. Provenance: Ralph Waldo Emerson, presentation to Henry David Thoreau (inscription in hand of latter); Concord Public Library (later deaccessioned); George Talbot Goodspeed (private collection).

Details

EMERSON, RALPH WALDO. The Method of Nature. An Oration, Delivered before the Society of the Adelphi, in Waterville College, in Maine, August 11, 1841. Boston: Samuel G. Simpkins, 1841. 8vo, original printed light brown wrappers, ends of spine slightly chipped. FIRST EDITION, one of possibly 500 copies printed, AN EXTRAORDINARY PRESENTATION COPY TO HENRY DAVID THOREAU, inscribed in Thoreau's hand in pencil at top of title-page: "Henry D. Thoreau from R.W.E.". Myerson A11.1; BAL 5190; Walter Harding, Thoreau's Library (Charlottesville, 1957), p. 47 (Concord Public Library, since deaccessioned). "Emerson's fame as a speaker before educational bodies continued to bring him invitations...This address [at what is now Colby College], which purported to see how far the method of nature was 'transferable to the literary life,' was not a success. Emerson had difficulty putting it together, and the commencement audience had trouble understanding him" -- John D. Gordan, Ralph Waldo Emerson... Catalogue of an Exhibition from the Berg Collection (New York, NYPL, 1953), p. 16. A fine copy, connecting Emerson and Thoreau -- one of the most profound associations in American literature.

Provenance: Ralph Waldo Emerson, presentation to Henry David Thoreau (inscription in hand of latter); Concord Public Library (later deaccessioned); George Talbot Goodspeed (private collection).