The Shipwreck by (Crosby, Harry); [Crane, Hart] Falconer, William - 1785

London, 1785. Sixth edition. Hart Crane's copy, inscribed to him by Harry Crosby: "Hart Crane /the Aeroplane part / is magnificent. No / need for you to fly / unless you believe in Valéry / 'if we imagine a balloon / journey, we can with / sagacity, with power, / produce many probable / sensations of an aeronaut / but something individual / will always remain / to the real ascension.' But it is your poem / which is real / ascension and / all other / ascensions / unreal / give 'em hell / Harry" . Crosby surely gave ths book to Crane in March, 1929 following his reading of the just-written "Cape Hatteras" section of "The Bridge'. In a March 1 letter to Crane, Crosby uses some similar language, and mentions the too cerebral Valéry, while inviting Crane to fly with him to Croydon and back on March 2. (Crane declined) Old sheep, rebacked, ; covers worn. Poet William Falconer was lost at sea in 1770.