Heaven and Hades: Two Excursions for Bookmen

Worcester, MA: Achille J. St. Onge, 1965. Hardcover. 8vo. Burgundy cloth with gilt lettering. 64pp. Illustrations. Fine. Pristine first edition, limited to 200 copies, of these two bibliophilic essays: "Diabolica: Poisonous Pens and Satanic Books" and "Heaven's Library: Archives and Annals of the Gods of Old." Tipped to blank leaf facing title page is a unique frontispiece -- a great content Typed Letter Signed from publisher St. Onge, 1p, 8½" X 5½", Worcester, MA, 10 April 1964. Near fine. Two original horizontal folds. Addressed to Arnold F. Gates (1914-93), noted Lincoln/Civil War scholar. Chats cordially about a miniature Civil War pair he'd like to publish. In part: "I've had a Civil War book in mind for several years. I did ask Dr. Edwin P. Booth, a fellow member of the Lincoln Group of Boston to gather choice items from both the North and South for use in a small book, and I'm still waiting! He feels that the South does not offer too much in such material, to sort of balance the book.... What I have in mind is a two volume set -- one for the North and the other for the South, and I think they should be equal as to the number of pages -- perhaps 64 to each book, and also I had thought of using the postage stamps that were issued for the Civil War anniversary...." Boldly signed in full at the close. St. Onge (1913-78) was a printer, publisher and one of the most renowned of 20th century miniature book publishers (i.e., less than 3"), responsible for 46 miniature books between 1935 and 1977; inaugural addresses, sermons, dedicatory remarks, eulogies and the like were his forte, published in limited editions in full leather with gilt stamping, gilt edges and all the trimmings.