Description:
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1981. Limited numbered. Hardcover. Near Fine/No Dust Jacket. small quarto. Jessie Willcox Smith. pp IX. 240. A Limited, Numbered (No 166 of 500) reissue of the 1919 original edition. Fully bound in black Morocco in a fine condition slipcase as issued. AEG, spine sunned, otherwise fine.
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About this book
The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby is a children's novel by the Reverend Charles Kingsley. Written in 1862-1863 as a serial for Macmillan's Magazine, it was first published in its entirety in 1863. The book was extremely popular during its day, and was a mainstay of children's literature through the 1920s, but eventually fell out of favor in part due to its prejudices against Irish, Jews, Catholics, blacks, Americans, and the poor.
In the style of Victorian-era novels, The Water-Babies is a didactic moral fable about a young chimney sweep, Tom, who falls into a river and becomes a 'water-baby,' guided by moral teachers through lessons and adventures, eventually earning the right to become human again and being united with an upper-class girl Ellie who had also become a 'water-baby.'
In the style of Victorian-era novels, The Water-Babies is a didactic moral fable about a young chimney sweep, Tom, who falls into a river and becomes a 'water-baby,' guided by moral teachers through lessons and adventures, eventually earning the right to become human again and being united with an upper-class girl Ellie who had also become a 'water-baby.'
Summary
When Tom, an ill-treated little chimney-sweep, jumps into a clear, cool stream to clean himself something magical happens; he is turned into a tiny water baby by the fairies. He enters a strange, magical underwater world, and travels beyond the world's end to the other end-of-nowhere, getting into all sorts of scrapes and encountering creatures beautiful and frightening along the way. He also learns many important lessons - it is a voyage of discovery that Tom will never forget.
First Edition Identification
First edition (London Macmillan and Company 1863) is usually without the L'Envoi leaf as is almost always encountered as the author had it removed from all but the first 200 or so copies. Illustrations in this edition include two full page plates by J. Noel Paton and with a number of small illustrations used throughout as opening initials.
Details
- Title Water Babies
- Author Kingsley, Charles
- Binding Hardcover
- Edition 1st thus edition
- Publisher Hodder Children's Books, London
- Date October 1, 1981
- ISBN 9780340274651
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The Water Babies
by Kingsley, Charles
- Used
- near fine
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Edition
- Limited numbered
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780340274651 / 0340274654
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Rotherfield, East Sussex, United Kingdom
- Item Price
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$95.02$25.34 shipping to USA
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Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
1981 1st Edtn (Thus) Ltd Edtn 387/500 Leather Bound, Slipcase, Gilt edged pages THE WATER BABIES By Charles Kingsley Illus. Jessie Willcox Smith Fine Fairy Tales
by Charles Kingsley
- Used
- Fine
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Used - Fine
- Edition
- 1st Edition (Thus)
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780340274651 / 0340274654
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
MARGATE, Kent, United Kingdom
- Item Price
-
$159.64$31.66 shipping to USA
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Description:
London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1981. 1st Edition (Thus). Hardcover. Fine/No Jacket. Royal octavo (8vo 6+1?4 × 10 159 × 254). Jessie Willcox Smith. Please email for Photographs or further information. Fine - Slipcase Fine, Book in fine unread condition; plastic cover has torn Please see photos as part of condition report 1981 1st Edition (Thus) , Leather Bound, Slipcase, Gilt edged pages THE WATER BABIES By Charles Kingsley Charles Kingsley (12 June 1819 23 January 1875) was a broad church priest of the Church of England, a university professor, social reformer, historian, novelist and poet. He is particularly associated with Christian socialism, the working men's college, and forming labour cooperatives, which failed, but encouraged later working reforms. He was a friend and correspondent of Charles Darwin. Jessie Willcox Smith (September 6, 1863 May 3, 1935) was an American illustrator during the Golden Age of American illustration. She was considered "one of the greatest pure…
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