Boy's Will

New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1915. Full Description:

FROST, Robert. A Boy's Will. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1915.

First American edition, first issue of Frost's first published book. With "Aind" on page 14. An inscribed partial poem by Frost on front free endpaper reading "With the lyrical I should like to/ have for lyrical/ Robert Frost". Also, on blank page 10, there is the entirety of Frost's poem "Fragmentary Blue" in his hand. It is signed "R.F." The manuscript is very close to the published version of the poem with the exceptions of just 3 word differences. This is an exciting glimpse into an early version of this poem as it was not published until July 1920 with a group of poems in Harper's Magazine. In 1923 it was first published in book form as part of Frost's Pulitzer Prize winning book "New Hampshire." Small octavo (7 1/2 x 5 1/4 inches; 190 x 130 mm). ix, [1, blank], [11]-63, [1] pp.

Original blue fine linen cloth decoratively stamped and lettered in gilt on front cover and spine. Top edge stained blue, others uncut. Spine and board edges lightly sunned. Some very minor rubbing to head and tail of spine. Housed in a blue cloth slipcase. Overall, fine.

A Boy's Will is commonly regarded as Frost's first book, since only one copy exists of his true first, Twilight (two were printed, one of which was destroyed by Frost himself).

"Frost once claimed that he wrote 'Fragmentary Blue' to tease his friends who wanted him to stop writing lyrics (Cramer)... The poem first appeared in the July 1920 issue of Harper's Magazine and was later included as the first poem in the "Grace Notes" section of New Hampshire." (Critical Companion to Robert Frost: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work By Deirdre J. Fagan).

Crane A2.1.

HBS 68873.

$6,000.