Death Of A Naturalist : Signed By The Author With A Quotation From ‘Personal Helicon’ by Heaney, Seamus - 1966: Heaney's first commercially published collection of poetry and winner of the Somerset Maugham prize

The First UK Printing published by Faber and Faber, London in 1966. The BOOK is in near Fine condition and appears unread. A very sharp copy. The WRAPPER is complete and is near Fine condition with just a little fading of the pink colouring to the spine and a little edge wear at the upper spine tip. The wrapper looks very attractive in the removable Brodart archival cover. The book has been signed by Seamus Heaney to the title page: 'Seamus Heaney, inscribed for Norman Todhunter - "To Set The Darkness Echoing" '. The quotation is the last line from the poem 'Personal Helicon' which is the last poem in this collection and was dedicated to fellow poet Michael Longley. 'Helicon, a mountain in Greece, is a sacred site in Greek mythology, said to have been favoured by the nine Muses – or Goddesses - who shared their divine gifts with mortals. It is the location of the Hippocrene spring which, in legend, is a source of poetic inspiration. In 'Personal Helicon', Seamus Heaney talks about his childhood fascination with wells and old pumps, and how, like so many of his childhood experiences and memories, they were a source for his poetic inspiration: becoming his 'Personal Helicon' (Seamus Heaney HomePlace). The Nobel Laureate's first commercially published collection of poetry and winner of the Somerset Maugham prize. Housed in a custom slipcase with silk ties. Very scarce with such attributes. Ashton Rare Books welcomes direct contact.