THE RESCUE. A Romance of the Shallows

1920. London & Toronto: J.M. Dent & Sons, 1920. Original green cloth lettered and with border in black, with dust jacket.

First English Trade Edition (issued after the American edition and also after a 40-copy private issue of the English galley proofs). Begun in 1896, and in effect completing the trilogy begun with ALMAYER'S FOLLY and AN OUTCAST OF THE ISLANDS, "THE RESCUE was Conrad's albatross, the book which hung about his neck from the beginning of his writing career almost until the end of his life" [Cagle]. Supino provides some of Bruccoli & Reheault's thorough explanation for the curious presence of various printed "imposition numbers" that appear at the bottom of many pages -- for example "(17)" on the title page itself; it has to do with two separate printers being involved. This copy is in the secondary binding: the spine lettering and the front cover border are in black, and there is no publisher's device blind-stamped onto the front cover. It is in near-fine condition (minor wear on the bottom edge); the pictorial jacket, which unlike that of THE ROVER does not often turn up in presentable condition, is very good-plus (slightly soiled and darkened, a few short edge tears). Supino A22.7.0, binding state B (this copy); Cagle A49b(2), binding "b". Provenance: the front endpaper bears the discreet ink-stamp of bookseller "Wm. Tyrrell & Co. | Toronto" (both Cagle and Supino were unable to locate a copy of the "Canadian issue" of this first impression, so these secondary-binding copies might be it). Further provenance: endpaper signature of "Rosemary Eakins | 1972" (probably [1931-1987] the McGill University author of literary criticism); also, discreet bookplate of the Conrad bibliographer David J. Supino.