THE INHERITORS. An Extravagant Story

1901. ["To Boys & Christina"] New York: McClure, Phillips & Co., 1901. Original tan cloth pictorially decorated in black, orange and gilt.

First Edition, pre-publication state, of the first collaboration between Conrad and Hueffer -- a tale that combines science fiction with political satire, somewhat in the same vein as had recently been popularized by H.G. Wells. This is regarded as Conrad's only science fiction tale -- though the work is largely Hueffer's. The "I" narrator is Etchingham Granger, a writer of impeccable pedigree whose fortunes are none too good and who is forced to take on several disagreeable commercial assignments. Early on, he meets an extremely attractive young lady who is a "Fourth Dimensionist." This tribe of "new people" -- there is a dystopian pattern here -- lacks feelings and normal or human responses. They, and she, are dedicated to becoming the inheritors of the earth because of their superiority in intellect, control and deception. In particular, they plan to undermine public confidence in its institutions, which turns out to be fairly easy given the nature of the men who govern. [Sound familiar?!] The political satire lies here: everyone has a price and everyone is self-serving regardless of the seriousness of the issues. There is no "public policy" among public men [Karl]. For copyright reasons the American edition was published first; the English edition was then produced from the American plates, and was published about five weeks later. The binding of this copy is in the preferred state, with the front cover sky in gilt rather than uncolored. This is the very rare first state, with the dedication leaf error "TO BOYS & CHRISTINA" (it was supposed to be to the two authors' children, Borys Conrad (born 1898) and Christina Hueffer (born 1897)). There exists only a handful of known copies with the uncorrected error -- some say six. Cagle cited copies at the Beinecke Library (Yale), the Lilly Library (Univ. of Indiana), the University of Texas Library, the Library of Congress, and the private collection of Kenyon Starling -- now this copy. Thus this just may be the only copy still in private hands. The volume is in near-fine condition, with just some light rubbing. Supino A6.1.0 and Plate 7 (this copy); Cagle A6a.2, binding a. Housed in a cloth clamshell case with morocco spine. Provenance: discreet bookplates of Kenyon Starling and of Conrad bibliographer David J. Supino.