[JAMES, HENRY]. WELLS, H.G. The Passionate Friends, a Novel. London: Macmillan 1913. 8vo, original green cloth, slightly rubbed, free endpapers a little foxed; half morocco slipcase. FIRST EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY TO HENRY JAMES, inscribed by the author on front free endpaper: "To Henry James from H.G. Wells"; with the recipient's ownership inscription below: "Henry James September 1913." The James-Wells relationship is well summarized by the title of the volume of their correspondence edited by Leon Edel and Gordon N. Ray: Henry James and H.G. Wells: A Record of their Friendship, their Debate on the Art of Fiction, and their Quarrel (Urbana, 1958). In James's letter to Wells of 21 September, 1913 (pp. 172-176 in the above mentioned book), the Master writes: "I won't take time to tell you how touched I freshly am by the constancy with which you send me these wonderful books of yours--I am too impatient to let you know how wonderful I find this last [The Passionate Friends]. I bare my head before the immense ability of it--before the high intensity with which your talent keeps itself interesting and which has made me absorb the so full-bodied thing in deep and prolonged gustatory draughts..." (though most of the letter is a labyrinthine expression by James of his reservations about the book). Gradually, as Wells grew more successful and sure of himself he tired of playing pupil to James, whose dislike of many of Wells's books was perhaps insufficiently cushioned by circumlocutions. In March 1914 James published a long article on the younger writers in The Times Literary Supplement entitled "The New Generation" in which he reserved some of his most critical remarks for Wells. Finally Wells revolted, and in his Boon, published anonymously in 1914, cruelly lampooned James. The Master's letter of response--a classic of the epistolary art--brought to an end their uneasy friendship.Provenance: James Gilvarry (sale, Christie's New York, 7 February 1986, lot 137).

[JAMES, HENRY]. WELLS, H.G. The Passionate Friends, a Novel. London: Macmillan 1913. 8vo, original green cloth, slightly rubbed, free endpapers a little foxed; half morocco slipcase. FIRST EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY TO HENRY JAMES, inscribed by the author on front free endpaper: "To Henry James from H.G. Wells"; with the recipient's ownership inscription below: "Henry James September 1913." The James-Wells relationship is well summarized by the title of the volume of their correspondence edited by Leon Edel and Gordon N. Ray: Henry James and H.G. Wells: A Record of their Friendship, their Debate on the Art of Fiction, and their Quarrel (Urbana, 1958). In James's letter to Wells of 21 September, 1913 (pp. 172-176 in the above mentioned book), the Master writes: "I won't take time to tell you how touched I freshly am by the constancy with which you send me these wonderful books of yours--I am too impatient to let you know how wonderful I find this last [The Passionate Friends]. I bare my head before the immense ability of it--before the high intensity with which your talent keeps itself interesting and which has made me absorb the so full-bodied thing in deep and prolonged gustatory draughts..." (though most of the letter is a labyrinthine expression by James of his reservations about the book). Gradually, as Wells grew more successful and sure of himself he tired of playing pupil to James, whose dislike of many of Wells's books was perhaps insufficiently cushioned by circumlocutions. In March 1914 James published a long article on the younger writers in The Times Literary Supplement entitled "The New Generation" in which he reserved some of his most critical remarks for Wells. Finally Wells revolted, and in his Boon, published anonymously in 1914, cruelly lampooned James. The Master's letter of response--a classic of the epistolary art--brought to an end their uneasy friendship. Provenance: James Gilvarry (sale, Christie's New York, 7 February 1986, lot 137).

Details

[JAMES, HENRY]. WELLS, H.G. The Passionate Friends, a Novel. London: Macmillan 1913. 8vo, original green cloth, slightly rubbed, free endpapers a little foxed; half morocco slipcase. FIRST EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY TO HENRY JAMES, inscribed by the author on front free endpaper: "To Henry James from H.G. Wells"; with the recipient's ownership inscription below: "Henry James September 1913." The James-Wells relationship is well summarized by the title of the volume of their correspondence edited by Leon Edel and Gordon N. Ray: Henry James and H.G. Wells: A Record of their Friendship, their Debate on the Art of Fiction, and their Quarrel (Urbana, 1958). In James's letter to Wells of 21 September, 1913 (pp. 172-176 in the above mentioned book), the Master writes: "I won't take time to tell you how touched I freshly am by the constancy with which you send me these wonderful books of yours--I am too impatient to let you know how wonderful I find this last [The Passionate Friends]. I bare my head before the immense ability of it--before the high intensity with which your talent keeps itself interesting and which has made me absorb the so full-bodied thing in deep and prolonged gustatory draughts..." (though most of the letter is a labyrinthine expression by James of his reservations about the book). Gradually, as Wells grew more successful and sure of himself he tired of playing pupil to James, whose dislike of many of Wells's books was perhaps insufficiently cushioned by circumlocutions. In March 1914 James published a long article on the younger writers in The Times Literary Supplement entitled "The New Generation" in which he reserved some of his most critical remarks for Wells. Finally Wells revolted, and in his Boon, published anonymously in 1914, cruelly lampooned James. The Master's letter of response--a classic of the epistolary art--brought to an end their uneasy friendship.

Provenance: James Gilvarry (sale, Christie's New York, 7 February 1986, lot 137).