THE SPRINGTIDE OF LIFE

London: William Heinemann, 1918. No. 369 OF 765 COPIES SIGNED BY RACKHAM. 286 x 232 mm. (11 1/4 x 9 1/8"). ix, [i], 132, [2] pp.With a preface by Edmund Gosse.
Very attractive red three-quarter morocco, gilt (stamp-signed "Putnams" along rear turn-in), raised bands, spine handsomely gilt in compartments formed by plain and decorative rules, quatrefoil centerpiece surrounded by densely scrolling cornerpieces, sides and endleaves of rose-colored linen, top edge gilt. With numerous black and white illustrations of cherubic children in the text, and NINE COLOR PLATES, as called for, all tipped onto brown paper and with letterpress guards. Front pastedown with morocco bookplate of W. A. M. Burden. Hudson, p. 170; Latimore & Haskell, pp. 48-49. ◆Just a hint of offsetting from the brown mounting paper, otherwise A VERY FINE COPY, BRIGHT, FRESH, AND CLEAN INSIDE AND OUT, with only the most trivial of imperfections.

This collection of Swinburne verses written for and about children was published near the end of the four years of horror known as the "War to End All Wars," and its innocent subject matter--not exactly what the bohemian Swinburne was best known for--combined with Rackham's sweet drawings of babies and toddlers constituted just what a war-weary public was seeking. Writer Edmond Gosse told Rackham, "This volume will not merely be the best book of the present art-season, but a joy to all sensitive people for years and years to come." (Hudson) The limited edition had an additional plate (the frontispiece) not included in the trade edition..