THE SELECTED POETRY OF ROBINSON JEFFERS.
New York: Random House, (1938). First edition. Illustrated with an Edward Weston photographic portrait. AN INTERESTING COPY CONSTITUTING THE ONLY VERSION EXTANT OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY UNA JEFFERS ON ROBINSON'S BEHALF in answer to a letter from Elizabeth Bauer requesting he expound on the meaning and intent of his poems. It is known that Robinson wrote notes on Bauer's letter from which Una then crafted her own letter in response to Bauer's queries. However the whereabouts of Una's letter are unknown. Although this copy appears to be heavily annotated and signed by Una Jeffers herself, according to Tim Hunt's notes on the Bauer letter in THE COLLECTED POETRY OF ROBINSON JEFFERS (Vol. 2, pp. 988-89), Bauer "shared Una's letter with her reading group, and someone in attendance copied it into his or her [Selected Poetry] book." If this is the case, then according to the notes inscribed in this copy by a person unknown, the letter said, "Writing for Robinson Jeffers, he says Barclay began but did not finish ... he turned away from humanity and then turned back to it. The reason for his madness is more or less explained in "The Theory of Truth" .... Certainly Helen killed her husband out of mercy ... she loved him. She was [illegible] and did not find herself until the accident made him helpless, and [illegible] responsibility on her. Before that Reeve had been the strong and responsible one. After that she was true to her nature. I shall quote from his [Jeffers'] notes now. 'If I have a message it is expressed perhaps most clearly in the dialogue between Orestes and Electra at the end of "The Tower Beyond Tragedy," beginning "Here is the last labor ---" ending, "No time but spheral eternity." Or it is best expressed in the last line of "Theory of Truth" referred to above. But poetry does not necessarily have a "message" except "How beautiful things are," or "how sad -- or how horrible" or even "how exciting." These are the only messages that Homer or Shakespeare for instance have for us. "I have never read a page of Schopenhauer, but of course I have read much that derives from his thought, as well as some of the ancient literature - Hindu, Greek, Chinese, Christian - that his thought derives from or is parallel to. Sincerely, Una Jeffers." In addition to transcribing the contents of Una's letter, the unknown person appears to have taken notes on the ensuing discussion among members of the reading group. Beginning on the endpaper and continuing on its verso, in the same handwriting, appear copious notes, "1. Jeffers believes in and loves rocks, granite, hawks etc. more than humanity; but it is not entirely materialistic because he recognizes a [illegible] behind this. Is essentially a scientist. 2. Can be accepted as a great and important poet and scientist but, not as a sociologist. 3. Jeffers feels that humanity (man) has taken all from nature, has been greedy...," etc. At least nine poems in the text of the book are additionally annotated in the margins (in the same hand) with her or his comments. The book itself is about fine in about very good dust jacket with minor chipping on corners and spine ends, spine a little darkened, a few minor scratches and closed tears.
Item #55962
Price: $750.00