Marvel, Ik; [Mitchell, Donald Grant]. Reveries of a Bachelor: or A Book of the Heart. New York: Charles Scribner, 1852. Illustrated Edition. [1297]
Textured blue cloth decorated in gilt, both boards and spine are gilt and all page edges are gilt. The binding is attractive with slight wear at the ends and corners, 2 inch separation of the cloth at the bottom rear joint, tight, 8 3/4 x 6 3/4 inches. Penciled gift inscription on the ffep. Lithographs by Darley, including frontispiece, extra title page and eight additional plates. Also, some text illustrations. Foxing to the plates with some offsetting, tissue guards present; 298 generally clean text pages. Good. Hardcover.
Entertaining musings on boyhood, country life, marriage, travel, and dreaming. Said to be one of Emily Dickinson's favorite books, portions were first published in the Southern Literary Messenger in 1849, and issued in book form in 1850.
Donald Grant Mitchell (1822-1908), b. Norwich Connecticut; d. New Haven, Connecticut. Mitchell graduated from Yale College in 1841, briefly studied law, but turned to literature as his life's work. Reveries of a Bachelor is his best-known book, and it was very successful when first published.
