OLDTOWN FIRESIDE STORIES by Stowe, Harriet Beecher

[WHITTIER, JOHN GREENLEAF] Stowe, Harriet Beecher. OLDTOWN FIRESIDE STORIES. Boston: James R. Osgood, 1872. First edition. Original green cloth, gilt. Crown of spine worn down by thumb-pulling, else a very good copy, from the library of John Greenleaf Whittier with his bookplate. Whittier was an admirer of Harriet Beecher Stowe (being a party animal, he attended her gala 70th birthday party), and given their prominent shared interest in anti-slavery and other social issues of the day, this book reflects a solid sympathetic association. Whittier wrote his famous poem `Little Eva' based on the character in UNCLE TOM'S CABIN, and published it the year after Stowe's novel appeared, with a dedication to Stowe. He later wrote a poem to Stowe for her birthday (`A Greeting') and Stowe and Whittier collaborated in the publication of the autobiography of Rev. Josiah Henson, the original "Uncle Tom" of Stowe's great work, in 1879. They carried on a correspondence --Whittier once wrote her that when he was in the mood for "deep thinking" he would read THE MINISTER'S WOOING, but that PEARL OF ORR'S ISLAND was his favorite of her works. We wonder what he thought of this book; he sure wore out the crown of the spine. BAL 19467 (the print run was 3,025 copies).