FATHER DAMIEN.
An Open Letter to the Reverend Doctor Hyde of Honolulu. London: Chatto and Windus, 1890. Original brown wrappers.
First Trade Edition, consisting of 1,000 copies (preceded only by 25 copies issued in Sydney and 30 issued in Edinburgh). On the Stevensons' voyage to the South Pacific they had visited the leper colony on Molokai, founded by Dr. Damien (who had himself died of leprosy the year before they arrived). A missionary named Hyde wrote a letter denouncing Damien; this piece is Stevenson's open (and irate) reply to Hyde. It was first published (25 copies) when the Stevenson party arrived in Sydney; Stevenson boasted of it as being blatantly libellous.
This is a very good copy of this fragile piece (a few wrapper corners chipped away, some wear to the fragile spine). Beinecke 510; Princeton 44B. Item #11958
Price: $200.00