PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED POEMS AND MISCELLANEOUS

[1880 - 1895]. First Edition. Manuscript. Some fading to the ink, but mostly clear. Minor wear, close to Fine. A collection of mostly handwritten manuscript poems and miscellaneous writings by Field, some SIGNED by him, all neatly inlaid on larger pieces of paper and beautifully bound in full black morocco leather with gilt lettering on the front cover, gilt rules and decorations on both covers with different color morocco inlays, gilt doublures and silk pastedowns and endpapers, all edges gilt. Written in red, green, blue, and black ink as well as pencil, there are 30 poems and 23 other pieces including notes, annotated newspaper clippings, and a letter and poem of tribute to Field by Lee S. Pratt. Includes an attractively written and illustrated manuscript of Field's poem "Armenian Lullaby," a four-page apparently unpublished poem for noted Chicago physician Frank W. Reilly SIGNED and dated 9 Chicago 1886 at the conclusion by Field, and among many others, a sweet handwritten poem spoken by a little girl about her doll titled "The all eternal Instinct": "If she could talk, I'm sure she'd tell/How hard I've tried to be/As good a mamma to my Doll/As mamma is to me." A wealth of manuscript material beautifully presented. There is also a list titled "Subjects for Verses" and another titled "With Mr. Field's compliments," listing names and addresses of Julian Hawthorne, R. H. Stoddard, and others.

Eugene Field (1850-1895) wrote children's poetry and light, humorous articles written in a gossipy style. Among his best-known light-hearted poems are "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod" and "Little Boy Blue."