D.H. Lawrence | The White Peacock, 1911, first edition, English impression, inscribed presentation copy

D.H. Lawrence

The White Peacock. London: William Heinemann, 1911

8vo (190 x 121mm.), FIRST EDITION, ENGLISH IMPRESSION, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY D.H. LAWRENCE ("Addiscombe - 20 Jan 1911 | Mr and Mrs Jones | from D.H. Lawrence"), half-title, with cancel title and corrected pp.227-230, publisher's advertisements, original dark blue cloth stamped on upper cover in white and black, on the lower cover with publisher's imprint in blind, spine lettered in gilt, some spotting throughout, endpapers browned, newscutting pasted inside lower cover, upper hinge cracked, binding rubbed and soiled, upper cover stained, spine frayed at head and foot

The White Peacock was D.H. Lawrence's first published novel written whilst he was a teacher in Croydon, staying at 12 Colworth Road, Addiscombe. His landlord and landlady were John William and Marie Jones and presumably it is to them he has presented and inscribed this copy on the very day of publication. Lawrence was lonely in Croydon and he socialised with few people; "During his first year in Croydon, his social life was probably confined to occasional visits to pubs with his landlord, John William Jones ... : his evenings were spent marking or writing or helping Mrs Marie Jones ... with the children." On 20 January Lawrence wrote to Frederick Atkinson, his publisher, "I received half a dozen copies of the Peacock this morning and beg to thank you therefor." The book had been released one day previously on 19 January in America but was not issued until 20 January in the UK.

LITERATURE:

Roberts A1b(3); Boulton, The Letters of D.H. Lawrence 1:219-220; Worthen, Extended Biography of D.H. Lawrence, 2:1-3

PROVENANCE:

Mr and Mrs Jones, presentation inscription