Eliot, T.S.

8vo (184 x 118mm.), 4pp. pamphlet, number 8 of 'The Ariel Poems', first edition, PRE-PUBLICATION PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY ELIOT BENEATH THE POEM TO HIS FIRST GODSON ("for | Thomas Erle Faber. | from T.S. Eliot | 17.8.27"), drawings by E. McKnight Kauffer, original yellow wrappers printed in black, in the original autograph mailing envelope addressed by Eliot to his godson ("Master Thomas Erle Faber | Chawleigh Rectory | Eggesford Station | N. Devon"), stamped and postmarked 17/18 August 1927, collector's specially lined black cloth solander box, autograph envelope slightly worn and torn

Gallup A9a

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A HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT AND RESONANT PRESENTATION COPY OF ONE OF ELIOT’S MOST CELEBRATED RELIGIOUS POEMS.

The original commission for Eliot's epiphany poem came from his publisher Geoffrey Faber, freeing the poet from a writing block which he had endured since the completion of "The Hollow Men" in 1925. Geoffrey’s son Tom was born on 25 April 1927 and christened on 27 July. In between Eliot was received into the Anglican Church (on 29 June). Some have suggested that the gift of a godchild to Eliot, combined with this reception in the Church, inspired him to write a poem on the Magi’s gift to the Christ Child. Geoffrey Faber described Tom’s christening in his diary for 27 July (“Eliot came up afterwards, & Thomas Erle was duly baptized by the Vicar Carnegie, in the Parish Church, present Godfather T.S. Eliot, & godmother Frances Duke…”). The Journey of the Magi was published on 25 August, eight days after this inscription. The later recording of the work inspired the poet’s second wife Valerie to seek Eliot out and obtain employment at Faber and Faber. The recipient Tom Faber (1927—2004) was the main dedicatee of Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, and enjoyed a distinguished career as a physicist at Cambridge. He was chairman of the Geoffrey Faber Holding Company and the only family representative on the board.

"...were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death."