“TRUST THYSELF: EVERY HEART VIBRATES TO THAT IRON STRING”: FIRST EDITIONS OF EMERSON’S ESSAYS, FIRST AND SECOND SERIES, INCLUDING HIS CELEBRATED ESSAY ON SELF-RELIANCE, LOVELY FIRST ISSUES IN ORIGINAL CLOTH-GILT

EMERSON, Ralph Waldo. Essays. WITH: Essays: Second Series. Boston: James Munroe, 1841-44. Two volumes. Octavo, original black and dark brown cloth. Housed in custom clamshell box (First Series). $10000.

First editions of Emerson’s first and second series of timeless essays, scarce in original cloth.

"Emerson's fame… rests securely upon the fact that he had something of importance to say, and that he said it with a beautiful freshness which does not permit his best pages to grow old… Let men but stand erect and 'go alone,' he said, and they can possess the universe" (ANB). "Timeless, and without a trace of 'dating,' these essays are as readable, and to a considerable extent as much read, today as a hundred years ago" (Grolier, 100 American 47). The first series, which contains 12 essays, includes Emerson's celebrated "Self-Reliance," as well as essays on love, friendship, heroism, "the Over-Soul," the intellect and art. The second series includes "The Poet," "Experience" and "Nature," in addition to essays on politics, character and manners. BAL bindings E and A, no priorities established. First issue of first series. First edition of second series with 18 of Myerson's first issue points, 5 second issue points ("nearly every copy examined is composed of mixed sheets," according to Myerson), and same mispagination as noted in Myerson. Myerson A.10.1.a and A.16.1.a-b. BAL 5189, 5198. Bradley et al., 1037-1039. Owner signature (First Series).

Scattered foxing, more heavily at endpapers, second series with light marginal dampstaining. first series cloth with restoration to spine ends, second series cloth with light discoloration to boards, wear to spine ends. Extremely good condition.