William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) - photo 1
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) - photo 2

William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)

Lot 194
15.12.2023 11:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 756
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 1108994
Lot 194 | William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)
Estimate value
£ 1 800 – 2 500
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)
Autograph letter signed (‘W B Yeats’) to [D. J.] O’Donoghue, 3 Blenheim Road, Bedford Park, 17 April 1891
Three pages, 113 x 178mm, bifolium, a few words cancelled. Provenance: James Gilvarry; his sale, Christie's New York, 7 February 1986, lot 541

On The Wanderings of Oisin: ‘The contents of the book will be in a great part Irish in matter – old legends and such like, mixed with a good many poems on general subjects’. Yeats opens with an apology: ‘I did not write before as it was not possible to answer your questions without seeing Keegan Paul, who I was to have seen some days ago, however he has been out of town until yesterday, when I saw him’. He refers to the publication of a collection of poetry – ‘Nothing very definite is yet decided. 3/6 as far as I can see, will be the price. Things are still somewhat hazy. Keegan Paul will most likely be my publisher – even that you see is not certain’ – before discussing some of the practicalities: ‘I have had some subscription forms printed. I send some. The 3/6 will not be asked for ‘til the book is out-a month or six weeks hence, if all goes right’. Concluding, he demurs: ‘I hope to see more of your Southwark Club but am somewhat occupied this present evening’.

O’Donoghue, a librarian of University College, Dublin, was the compiler of a dictionary of Irish poets. Yeats’ first collection of poetry, The Wanderings of Oisin, was delayed and only finally published in January 1889, by which time its price had been raised to 5 shillings.
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