DYAS, Richard H.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

The Upas: A Vision of the Past, Present, and Future. First edition, scarce, this copy belonged to the British MP and founder of the National Secular Society, Charles Bradlaugh (1833-1891). Bradlaugh fought for the right to affirm instead of taking the religious Oath of Allegiance in Parliament and Court. His signature appears on the title page and his posthumous bookplate, dated 1891, on the front free endpaper.Captain Richard Hudson Dyas (1839-1891) was an Irish soldier who served with the 4th European Infantry during the Indian Rebellion and was present during the sieges of Cawnpore and Lucknow. The Upas has been viewed as both fantastical and philosophical in its prophetic exploration of humanity's destructive nature. There has been no appearance at auction of this work and only eight institutional copies are known worldwide.

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