St. Ives. Being the Adventures of a French Prisoner in England

New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1897. First Edition preceding the English edition. Laid in is a one page Autograph Letter Signed by the author, Robert Louis Stevenson to S.S. McClure, publisher of McClure’s Magazine which serialized Stevenson’s novel, St. Ives, prior to book publication. Written from Valima in Samoa, on September 7, 1894, just weeks before Stevenson’s death on December 3rd. “...Pursuant to a note from Bunter, I have the pleasure to send you an epitome of St. Ives. Without doubt it was a task! And I fear it will not increase the interest of any human being, but you must be judge of that, and employ it accordingly or not, as your better wisdom shall suggest. The Magazine seems to me to go on swimmingly. Please remember me to your wife and the twins. Ever yours, R.L. Stevenson....” At the time of his death, Stevenson had left St. Ives unfinished, and Arthur Quiller-Couch wrote the last few chapters to complete the work using Stevenson’s notes and the outline he had sent to McClure. Near fine bright copy in original cloth with one of Stevenson’s very last letters and a remarkably historic one showing that his efforts did indeed prove of great interest allowing one of his most interesting works to be completed.