Conrad, Joseph

8vo, second (first published) English edition, contemporary presentation copy inscribed by the author on front endpaper to his friend Lord Northcliffe ("Viscount Northcliffe | from Joseph Conrad | 1920 | 'It is certain my conviction gains | infinitely the moment another soul | will believe in it ' | Novalis."), later pencil inscription below, original green smooth cloth (Cagle's "a" binding with upper cover in blind and spine lettered in gold), hinges repaired, a few minor stains, slight wear to cloth

Sotheby's, 18 December 1985, lot 143

Cagle A49b(2)

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, when appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

For Viscount Northcliffe see lot 157. Conrad here quotes his favourite epigram, also used as an epigraph in Lord Jim and quoted in A Personal Record, where Conrad then comments "And what is a novel if not a conviction of our fellow-men's existence strong enough to take upon itself a form of imagined life clearer than reality and whose accumulated verisimilitude of selected episodes puts to shame the pride of documentary history...". In fact the meaning of the word in Novalis's original German is "opinion", not "conviction", but Conrad was probably familiar with Carlyle's version quoted in his 1841 book On Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History (see Ian Watt, Conrad in the Nineteenth Century).