An Epic of the Starry Heaven.
New York: Partridge & Brittan, 1854. First Edition. Hardcover. Small octavo. 212pp. Original blue cloth lettered & decorated in gilt on spine, gilt decorations on boards. All-edges-gilt. Patterned endpapers, Errata. The rare first edition of what is arguably the most significant work of Thomas Lake Harris (1823–1906). Harris was a British-born mystic, preacher, spiritualistic prophet, poet, and vintner who spent much of his life in the United States having been taken there as a child by his parents. He became interested in Spiritualism in his twenties, which he embraced with vigour after visiting Andrew Jackson Davis, "the Poughkeepsie seer," in 1847. He began acting as a medium, and retreated for some time to Mountain Cove, Auburn, New York state, before founding an alternative community based on Swedenborgian principles in New York. In 1850 he "received" an indication that he would be given, mediumistically, the series of lengthy poems that would become "An Epic of the Starry Heaven." Late in 1853 he is said to have dictated the entire work over fourteen days whilst in a trance-like state. His amanuensis was his friend and publisher, S. B. Brittan, who also provided the Introduction when it was published the following year. Harris went on to publish numerous works of poetry, some of which was said to have been received from famous poets including Byron, Keats, Shelley and Poe, and his own poetry was quite well regarded. However he is most widely remembered for the series of alternative religious communities that he founded, most notably the group called the Brotherhood of the New Life in Santa Rosa, California. His autocratic ways, and strange sexual theories courted controvery, as did some of his more outlandish boasts, such as his 1891 proclamation that he had attained the secret of immortality. He died in 1906, although for several months his followers concealed this, preferring to believe that he was asleep, until presumably, the passing time offered irrefutable evidence of his death. This copy has an erratta page bound in following the text - we are uncertain whether this is indicative of a second issue or whether all copies of the first edition were issued thus. Spine ends a little chafed, spine very slightly faded, minor rubbing & marks to boards, previous owner's name on dedication page (after title-page), pencil marginal lines & underlining to text on some pages. A touch of flecking to perhaps a dozen pages, and some extremely light pencil underlining (could be removed with patience). Otherwise a solid, VG+ copy (no dust jacket). Scarce. Item #53029
Sold