THE WONDERFUL VISIT .. by Wells, H[erbert] G[eorge] - 1895

London: J. M. Dent and Co. ... / New York: Macmillan Co., 1895. Octavo, pp. [i-vii] viii 1-251 [252: blank], title page printed in orange and black, original pictorial red buckram over bevel-edged boards, front and spine panels stamped in gold, t.e.g., fore and bottom edges untrimmed. First edition, variant binding (possibly later) with gilt angel (designed by Arthur Rackham) on front panel. A dark satire based on a remark attributed to John Ruskin, that if an angel came to earth someone would be sure to shoot it. "... an underrated work that deserves to be more widely read." - Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature V, pp. 2162-4. Barron (ed), Fantasy Literature 2-155. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1675. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 228. Schlobin, The Literature of Fantasy 1096. Bleiler (1978), p. 205. Reginald 15116. Currey (2002), p. 426 (binding B). Hammond B2. Wells 5. Wells Society 5. Wells and Hammond have the binding information reversed: copies of this book with the angel on the front cover are not advance copies and are far more common than those without the figure. A fine copy. (#60177)