EASBY-SMITH, James.

£750 · Offered by Peter Harrington · No longer available

Autograph letter signed to Thomas Hutchinson. Easby-Smith's letter to Hutchinson accompanies sheets from his 1891 translation of Sappho's poetry, titled Songs of Sappho. Hutchinson had tried to obtain a copy of the work, but the edition had sold out. Easby-Smith therefore sent him these sheets, supplemented with manuscript leaves.The author and Hutchinson maintained a long-distance friendship, in which they discussed literary matters. Easby-Smith was a lawyer by profession and lived in Washington, DC, whereas Hutchinson was a headmaster at a primary school in Morpeth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. They were both interested in literature, particularly poetry, and perhaps found solace and escapism in their shared pursuit. In his letter, Easby-Smith bemoans the occupation that keeps him from his literary activities but writes that "on account of a common language, common descent and common tastes, I have made a friend beyond sea."Easby-Smith's edition of Sappho's poetry followed Henry Thornton Wharton's, published in 1887. Wharton restored the feminine pronouns to Sappho's work but attempted to portray her as a poet who loved women "purely", never sexually, "construing her as a schoolmistress for young women" (Prins, p. 59). Conversely, Easby-Smith recognized the sensual nature of Sappho's lyrics, stating that "she saw, and tremblingly worshipped every flash of tenderness" (p. 14).

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