Father Damien: An Open Letter to the Reverend Dr. Hyde of Honolulu from Robert Louis Stevenson

San Francisco: William Andrews Clark, 1930. No. 85 of 250 copies privately printed, by John Henry Nash. Vellum-backed tan boards, both books housed in individual compartments in a single slipcase. very good. William Wilke. 2 volumes, being a facsimile of the 1890 Sydney first edition, and a finely printed volume. Illustrated with two frontispiece portraits, one of Father Damien and one of Stevenson designed and drawn by William Wilke, with short facsimile inscription to each portrait. 21x14 cm (8¼x5¾") and 32x23 cm (12½x9"), vellum-backed tan boards, spines lettered in gilt, both housed in individual compartments in a single slipcase with printed paper spine label. No. 85 of 250 copies privately printed for William Andrews Clark, Jr., by John Henry Nash. --

Printed by Nash at Clark's behest, one of a series of similar publications Clark gave out as a Christmas gift. With "Compliments of William Andrews Clark, Jr., Christmas, 1930" tipped-in paper label at front free endpaper of larger volume. Bookplates of George G. Hutton.

-- Slipcase somewhat worn, soiled, frayed; boards and slipcase toned, touch of soiling to vellum; bookplates on front pastedowns, facsimile leaves toned, very good. --
Ships from Hawaii. -- "Robert Louis Stevenson's famous Letter about the catholic martyr Father Damien has attained the stature of a small classic. The Belgian priest's extraordinary devotion to the lepers of Molokai moved Stevenson to compose this impassioned answer to the despicable charges hurled against Damien. The Letter holds the reader with the incisive beauty of its diction, with its irony, its mockery, and its sarcasm. Measured in words, it is brief; but gauged in terms of the scene it evokes, the truths it states, the man it portrays, it is long. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote it with the same clear and accurate insight into human motives and the same depth of sympathy found in all of his great novels and essays. Many books and pamphlets have been written about Father Damien, but this Letter is surely the most profoundly moving work about his courageous, dedicated, inspiring life." -Cobble Hill Press, Inc. New York.