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WELLS, H.G. Anticipations of the Reaction of Mechanical and Scientific Progress upon Human Life and Thought. London: Chapman & Hall, 1902.
8o. Original wrappers (spine faded, upper hinge reinforced). Provenance: ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE (1859-1930), writer and creator of Sherlock Holmes (presentation inscription).
Later edition, A SUBERB LITERARY ASSOCIATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY WELLS TO ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE: "To Conan Doyle from H.G. Wells."
The friendship between H.G. Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle started in 1898 after the elder author wrote a fan letter to Doyle about his novel Duet, which, due to its adulterous theme, had been attacked as immoral. Wells wrote: "My wife, for whose verdict I waited, has just finished Duet. And, as I chanced on a sort of 'slate' of the book last week, it occurred to me you'd not be offended if we wrote and told you we both like it extremely. It seems to me you have the shape and the flavour (or texture or quality or atmosphere or whatever term you like) just as rightly done as it can be. They're a middle-class couple and simple at that; but the ass of a critic seemed to think that this somehow condemned the book... I've spent a year out of the last three at a similarly 'commonplace' story. (Still at it.) So I'm not altogether outside my province in judging your book" (The Life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by John Dickson Carr, New York, 1948, pp. 111-112).
In 1902--the year that Anticipations was published--Conan Doyle was knighted by the Queen. Wells wrote to his friend proudly: "I think the congratulations should go to those who have honoured themselves by honouring you" (ibid page 161). It is particularly appropriate that Wells chose to present Doyle with Anticipations. Both men shared a fascination with science and technology and, especially, with their potential for transforming human affairs. See Wells 19.
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Later edition, A SUBERB LITERARY ASSOCIATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY WELLS TO ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE: "To Conan Doyle from H.G. Wells."
The friendship between H.G. Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle started in 1898 after the elder author wrote a fan letter to Doyle about his novel Duet, which, due to its adulterous theme, had been attacked as immoral. Wells wrote: "My wife, for whose verdict I waited, has just finished Duet. And, as I chanced on a sort of 'slate' of the book last week, it occurred to me you'd not be offended if we wrote and told you we both like it extremely. It seems to me you have the shape and the flavour (or texture or quality or atmosphere or whatever term you like) just as rightly done as it can be. They're a middle-class couple and simple at that; but the ass of a critic seemed to think that this somehow condemned the book... I've spent a year out of the last three at a similarly 'commonplace' story. (Still at it.) So I'm not altogether outside my province in judging your book" (The Life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by John Dickson Carr, New York, 1948, pp. 111-112).
In 1902--the year that Anticipations was published--Conan Doyle was knighted by the Queen. Wells wrote to his friend proudly: "I think the congratulations should go to those who have honoured themselves by honouring you" (ibid page 161). It is particularly appropriate that Wells chose to present Doyle with Anticipations. Both men shared a fascination with science and technology and, especially, with their potential for transforming human affairs. See Wells 19.