MELVILLE (Herman).
A Narrative of a Four Month's Residence among the Natives of a Valley of the Marquesas Islands: or, a peep at Polynesian life.
A HANDSOME COPY
A lovely copy of Melville’s first book, better known by its American title, Typee: a peep at Polynesian Life.
The London edition was set directly from Melville’s manuscript, whereas Typee relied on proofs of the London sheets. It was published in England first for the usual copyright reasons but also because “the English reading public was more interested in the Polynesian islands than were American readers. This English edition also includes a few phrases censored from the American version, having to do with the ‘dalliance of sailors and native maidens’” (Hill).
“Murray’s first printing consisted of 4,048 copies (2,500 of them in wrappers), priced at five shillings in cloth and half a crown in wrappers; the book became a profitable one for Murray, with further printings required, but Melville’s earnings did not go up with increased sales, since Murray had purchased the copyright from Melville for £100” (Howe Library).
BAL, 13652 (variant B, no priority); Hill, 1132.
