Maggs Bros.

One of the classic books of verse for children — much loved and much reprinted, very frequently with Robinson’s illustrations. This book of simple verse was written after Stevenson and his wife Fanny moved to Hyères in the South of France, where he suffered a haemorrhage in 1882 which affected his ability to write prose. Includes some of his most famous verse: ‘The Land of Counterpane’, ‘From a Railway Carriage’, and ‘The Lamplighter’. Robinson’s cover designs are characteristically playful. The spine and back cover depict little girls gardening. The front cover is perhaps a play on the notion of the enclosed / walled garden. The garden seems at once to be growing from the plant pot held by the child and conjured up from their imagination. With a gift inscription, dated Xmas 1895, to Margaret Knatchbull-Hugessen from her mother. The recipient (1883-1957) was the daughter of the Liberal peer and politician Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen, 2nd Baron Brabourne. 16 pp. publisher’s ads at end. Fine, bright copy.