The Bluebird Series of Letters for Children . True Christian (Moral) Tales of India; Scouting and the First World War, Etc.

Allahabad: ? Privately Published By the Author ? (R. Liddell, Printer). Very Good- with no dust jacket. (1919). First Edition. Hardcover. Quarter bound with a plain burgundy cloth spine and decorated/titled paper covered boards, plain on the rear cover. No dustjacket, probably as issued. The edges of the boards are rubbed/scuffed with some paper loss/nibbles. Spine just a little rubbed and bumped at the edges but spine and covers generally clean & tight. Internally the book is clean, tight and bright and is VG - HOWEVER oddly there is NO Title page present - as a 'privately printed' book it may be 'as issued' without one, the printer using the cover as a 'title', but I can't be sure as I am unable to find a trace of another copy at this time. Plain endpapers. The front free endpaper has an old faded presentation note to the former owners dated 1919, Poona, India. A printed 'Dedication' page "to my little friends in India and England whose affection renders life all summer for me". Followed by the Author's Preface = " These letters were begun as a result of the kindly appreciation expressed by 3 little friends to whom I wrote a parable about a garden. I sent out 12 letters dated May 6th (1918) .... The demand rapidly increased .... It is in reponse to many requests that the letters up to April 28th (1919) are being produced in a booklet. - just stray thoughts about common objects or topics that have occured to me each week .... For example, the letter about the treatment of servants brought me messages as to how various peoples love the Indian Servants. In answer to the letter about doing things 'at all costs', I received a description about 'the cubs' in Boy Scouting..... Many have been the enquiries about 'Redbird' who was a prisioner in Germany and tried so often to escape. I am glad to say he succeeded at last and reached England safely.....The War was on when I began these letters. We are full of thankfullness that it is over...... The War had many lessons for us......" . The top page fore-edges are 'dust-ingrained'. (4) + 254 pp. Obviously these letters are religious based, presumably R. J. Sorabji is a Missionary or Vicar ? . Most of the letters having a 'moral' tale of sorts, but reading between the religion is some interesting social detail and wartime experiences, etc. Overall a Very Clean, Tight and Bright copy of an unusual and presumably scarce publication. ; Oblong 8vo 8" to 9" long .