A South Sea Lover [Ex Libris Roger Casement, Inscribed to Herbert Ward, with Additional Text]

London: Macmillan, 1894. 8vo, 321, [2] + 5 pp, bound in green cloth titled in gilt. No dust jacket. A reprint, in Macmillan's Colonial Library Series.

Ex Libris Roger Casement, with his signature to fep: 'Roger Casement Cape Town June 30 1900'. Beneath this, the book is inscribed by Casement to his close friend Herbert Ward: 'To Herbert from Roddie at (indecipherable) 12 Aubrey Walk Campden Hill Rd Sept 12th 1900.'

Written in Roger Casement's hand on the rep in pencil is the following text: "Those who only half live, remember can only half die. The rending of life from the has already been half accomplished." 

A remarkable association copy with a brief, but unrecorded and poignant text by Casement. The two men had first met each other in the Congo, and became best friends, united by their concern for the abuses of colonialism in the Congo and other matters. Casement became Godfather and namesake to Ward's youngest son. 

The second inscription to Ward, on September 12, came just after a time of great change for Casement. AS noted in a letter to his friend Dick Morten dated September 7, he had only very recently moved into 12 Aubrey Walk, which was renting from his friend Count Blücher. Around that same time, on September 3, Casement had parted ways with Casaldo. See Jeff Dudgeon's research in his book Roger Casement: The Black Diaries. 

Ward and Casement's friendship didn't survive Casement's trip to Berlin to solicit German arms for the Easter Uprising. After Casement was arrested, Ward changed the name of his son by deed poll, and refused to sign the clemency petition organized by Arthur Conan Doyle and others. The British government, not satisfied with hanging Casement, also published excerpts from his diaries - The Black Books - in order to further destroy his legacy and forestall international efforts to save Casement from execution. 

What was not erased was this remarkable phrase, written lightly in pencil in the back of a book that was then forgotten but still preserved in its drift through the trade.

Book with some toning and foxing, and some bubbling and other wear. Very good.