315. Burroughs, John.
Writings of John Burroughs.

Three-quarter navy blue morocco over light blue marbled boards, gilt art nouveau decoration to panels, raised bands, light blue marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. Illustrations with tissue guards. Autograph edition 405/750. Signed by author.
L. A. Fuertes and Charles H. Woodbury, et al., Illustrators. Herbert W. Gleason and Clifton Johnson, et al., Photographers. W. H. W. Bicknell, Etcher.

Burroughs, a man who regards his books not as works but as products of play, assures us that his record of observations and experiences "is true as it stands written, every word of it" for it is gleaned "more in the woods than in the study". He relates the bird to the human heart, to himself, to the landscape, the season, to the whole of nature; thus, offering us a live bird not a labeled laboratory specimen. His love of ornithology, of nature : the pursuit and the discovery, speaks throughout his writings.

In Volume III, "Birds and Poets with Other Papers", Burroughs begins to couple his love of birds and nature with topics more literary. This foray into literature supplements his themes of nature and provides analogy.

"Indoor Studies" (Volume VIII) treats "Henry D. Thoreau", "Science and Literature", "Science and the Poets" and more. Literature, Burroughs says, transforms science, it elevates: adding emotion, heart and imagination.

In Volume X, entitled "Whitman", we see in Walt Whitman�s "Leaves of Grass" a wild nature of primal forces: elemental and cosmic. As a young man, Burroughs first became fascinated by Whitman. Burroughs seeks to capture the elusive Whitman in his enthusiastic examination of "Leaves".

Volume XI, "The Light of Day" gives us "religious discussions and criticisms from the naturalist�s point of view"; Volume XII, discourses on "Literary Values and Other Papers".
Limited to 750 signed sets of which this is Number 405.

Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Boston 1904 Limited and Autographed Edition.

Octavo

1000/2000     SOLD: $920.00

Condition: Very Good.