THE FORTUNATE ISLAND AND OTHER STORIES. Boston: Lee and Shepard Publishers. New York: Charles T. Dillingham, 1882. Octavo, pp. [1-4] 5 [6-8] 9-333 [334-336: blank] [note: last leaf is a blank], six inserted plates with illustrations by Arthur B. Frost and others, original decorated pebbled mustard cloth, front and spine panels stamped in brown and gold. First U.S. edition. Collects five stories, "Professor Baffin's Adventures" (retitled "The Fortunate Island"), "The City of Burlesque," "An Old Fogey," "Major Dunwoody's Leg" and "Jinnie." Bleiler comments that "The Fortunate Island" is an "excellent lost race science-fiction story ... which offers a foretaste of Mark Twain's A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT." The five stories along with a play were collected in AN OLD FOGEY AND OTHER STORIES published in 1881 by Ward, Lock, & Co. The title story first appeared in BEETON'S CHRISTMAS ANNUAL, 21st SEASON, as part of a linked story series (a Christmas Annual tradition) whose collective title was THE FORTUNATE ISLAND, Adeler's contribution being titled "Professor's Baffin's Adventure." Why he appropriated the series title is unclear. Barron (ed), Fantasy Literature 2-1. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 3. Sargent, British and American Utopian Literature, 1516-1985, Additions. Teitler and Locke, By the World Forgot (2013) 4. Bleiler (1978), p. 2. Wright (III) 1052. Small label of the "Ladies' Library Association, Danville, Vermont" affixed to front paste-down. Touch of wear at lower spine end, tiny stain at bottom of spine, mild foxing to front endpapers, a clean, tight, very good copy. (#115841).
Price: $250.00
No statement of printing.