"THE WOMAN IS THE GIVER, THE WORLD FORCE OF ENERGY… YOU HAVE MADE ME UNABLE TO AVOID MOTHERHOOD, EVEN IF I WANTED TO"

EYLES, Margaret Leonora. Margaret Protests. London: Erskine Macdonald, (1919). Octavo, original black cloth, original dust jacket. $2800.

First edition of this early feminist novel, in rare original dust jacket.

This powerful and bestselling feminist novel reveals the drudgery of domestic life and the economic and emotional peril that women and their children face as a result of forced reproduction. "Mrs. Eyles in her astonishing book has thrown back the embroidered tapestry which drapes the human figure, and we are confronted by a nakedness which is not beautiful… This book on sex misery aims a sharp arrow in the direction of those who hide the beginnings of life in dark ignorance, and who are content that the word 'travail' should be comprehensive of the holy function of motherhood. When the hands of lovers meet a cradle is made for the future of the race; but modern industrial life, built on the bodies of men and women, has broken them into evil shapes, and the children are begotten in misery and reared in semi-starvation… Against this Margaret protests with a great woman's courage and a gifted pen. Her book ranks with Brieux' 'Damaged Goods' in religious sincerity and noble aspiration. The motive of Mrs. Eyles' work is transparently obvious; she has written of these things because she cares and feels a mother's ineffable pity of the holy helplessness of little children" (London Herald).

Book near-fine, with scattered foxing mainly to endpapers and edges of text block, only light rubbing to cloth. Rare dust jacket extremely good, with a bit of wear and chipping to extremities and toning to spine and front panel. A most desirable copy.