THE GERMAN CONQUEST OF ENGLAND IN 1875, AND BATTLE OF DORKING; OR, REMINISCENCES OF A VOLUNTEER, DESCRIBING THE ARRIVAL OF THE GERMAN ARMADA -- DESTRUCTION OF THE BRITISH FLEET -- THE DECISIVE BATTLE OF DORKING -- CAPTURE OF LONDON -- DOWNFALL OF THE ENGLISH EMPIRE. By an Eyewitness, in 1925. Reprinted from Blackwood's Magazine. Philadelphia: Porter & Coates, n.d. [but 1871]. Octavo, pp. [1-2] 3-62, 63-64: ads, inserted frontispiece, original orange paper wrappers printed in black, sewn. First printing of the Porter & Coates edition. Issued in cloth and in paper wrappers, this being one of the paperbound copies. Possibly the first U.S. edition, although the 1871 edition published by G. P. Putnam & Sons may have preceded The most influential future war story. "Before Chesney there had been little effective method in the few tales of the war-to-come that had appeared. After Chesney there were very few of these tales that did not employ the devices that had alarmed a nation, amazed a continent, and annoyed the Prime Minister." - Clarke, Voices..., p. 34. "The first significant British imaginary war story and also the finest and most influential example of the subgenre." - Bleiler, Science-Fiction: The Early Years 412. Anatomy of Wonder (1981) 1-41; (1987) 1-21; (1995) 1-21; and (2004) II-237. Clarke, Tale of the Future (1978), p. 5. Clarke, Voices Prophesying War: Future Wars 1763-3749 (1992), pp. [27]-56. Clareson, Science-Fiction in America, 1870s-1930s 155. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 13 (recording the British edition). Survey of Science Fiction Literature I, pp. 130-32. Suvin, Victorian Science Fiction in the UK, pp. 14-15. Bleiler (1978), p. 42. Reginald 02919C. Wrappers dusty and lightly worn, about 40% of the spine panel missing, a bit of scattered foxing to the text block (which is printed on good quality paper stock). Overall, a better than average copy of this influential pamphlet. This edition is uncommon. (#167277).
Price: $250.00
No statement of printing (title leaf verso is blank).