[MACDONALD, George (1824-1905)]. Exotics: A Translation of the Spiritual Songs of Novalis, the Hymn-book of Luther, and other Poems from the German and Italian. Published by Strahan & Co., Publishers, 34 Paternoster Row, London, 1876.
FIRST EDITION. Cloth-bound, hardcover, small octavo (18cm x 11cm x 2.8cm), pp. xv, 177, [15]. English text. Bound in publisher's original blue cloth with gilt titles and decoration, bevelled board edges, brown coated endpapers, half-title, Seton of Edinburgh bookbinder ticket to inner corner of rear pastedown. Printed by Muir and Paterson, Edinburgh. Condition: GOOD to VERY GOOD. Binding tight, secure and square. Spine ends and points slightly bumped and rubbed. Spine cloth slightly faded with some minor marks to covers. Interior very well-preserved with a small inscription to front endpaper. Scarce.
Notes: Rare first edition by Scottish author George MacDonald; perhaps best known for his children's book At the Back of the North Wind, and his adult fantasy Phantastes. This represents the first collected edition of MacDonald’s translations of Luther and Novalis which had appeared in periodicals and privately printed editions. The preface sets out his principles of translation. A revised version was published in ‘Rampolli’ 1897. A very rare and collectable item published in green or blue cloth. Highly regarded by C.S. Lewis. See Shaberman's bibliography no. 8.; Wolff 4288.
