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HAGGARD, H. Rider.
Eric Brighteyes.
First edition. Author's presentation copy, inscribed to Robert Louis Stevenson seven days after publication. "To Robert Louis Stevenson / with the author's best regards / 20 May 91". An excellent association between the two great adventure writers of the age. Haggard's first, and most successful, adventure novel, King Solomon's Mines, was written as a consequence of reading Stevenson's just published Treasure Island: "... I read in one of the weekly papers a notice of Stevenson's 'Treasure Island' so laudatory that I procured and studied that work, and I was impelled by its perusal to try to write a book for boys" (Haggard, The Days of My Life). On receipt of a copy, Stevenson immediately wrote introducing himself to Haggard. Shortly afterwards Stevenson wrote, "Further reflection of King Solomon's Mines makes me think you are one who gets up steam slowly... My case is the reverse, I always begin well, and often finish languidly or hurriedly..." Apparently the two never met, although they enjoyed a lengthy and varied correspondence, commenting with their mutual friend Andrew Lang upon each other's books and other works of the time.
Original green cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper cover. Housed in a dark green cloth solander box made by The Chelsea Bindery. Stevenson's Vailima bookplate signed by his secretary, Isabel Strong, to the front pastedown. Seventeen full page woodcuts by Lancelot Speed. A good copy with some wear to the edges and minor splitting to the cloth. Front hinge fragile and a little worming to the preliminary pages.
