CONDENSED NOVELS

1871. [FINE, with carte-de-visite] With Illustrations by S. Eytinge, Jr. Boston: James R. Osgood and Company, 1871. Original green cloth, beveled.

First Enlarged Edition of Bret Harte's first book. CONDENSED NOVELS was initially published by Carleton in 1867, as a volume of 15 parodies of novels by such authors as Ch-r-s D-ck-ns, Ch-l-tte Br-nte and W-lk-e C-ll-ns -- plus some other "Civic Sketches" and miscellaneous pieces. Four years later this edition was published, with illustrations by a different artist, and with two additional parodies: "Handsome is as Handsome Does" by Ch--s R--de and "Lothaw" by Mr. Benjamins [Disraeli]; the other sketches and pieces were excluded. "Actually Bret's takeoffs indicated mastery of a minor but difficult literary form; he had the rare ability of dissecting an author's style without undue cruelty or ridicule, of conveying his essentials in the space of a few pages" [O'Connor]. This copy is in green cloth (others were bound in terra-cotta or purple), and is in fine, bright, condition. Blanck 7255. Loosely inserted is a sepia carte-de-visite of a young Bret Harte, by Gurney & Son (of 108 Fifth Avenue, corner of 16th St.); most of the border is trimmed away, including the very corners of the photographic image.