1919 The Water Babies

Description

Colour Plates, Illustrated, Original Binding, Publishers' Original Binding, Uncommon

Bound in the publisher's original green cloth.

Dated using Jisc from copies of the work held at University of Cambridge Libraries.

This is a wonderful copy of 'The Water-Babies', also titled 'A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby'. This children's book by Charles Kingsley was originally written from 1862 to 1863 in Macmillan's Magazine, as a satire in support of Charles Darwin's 'On the Origin of Species'. As with many classic pieces of Victorian literature, it functions as a didactic moral fable, telling of young chimney sweep Tom's moral education.

Charmingly illustrated with green vignettes throughout, as well as twelve coloured plates, tipped-in. Collated, complete.

Penned by Charles Kingsley (1819-1875), a priest, professor, novelist, poet and friend of Charles Darwin.

Illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith (1863-1935), an American illustrator active during the Golden Age of illustration. She illustrated for numerous magazines, and is also memorable for her illustrations for the Mother Goose series of illustrations, the Good Housekeeping covers between 1917 and 1933, and 'Little Women' by Louisa May Alcott.

With a contemporary ink inscription to the front endpaper, dated 1929.