Day in Surrey With William Morris, A: An Interview by Emma Lazarus 1883" pamphlet.
(Lazarus, Emma). Pamphlet: “A Day in Surrey With William Morris An Interview by Emma Lazarus 1883.” San Francisco: Roxburghe/Zamarano, 1988.
Pamphlet: 7-1/4 x 11,” unpaginated; illustrated with black-and-white drawings; printed green wrappers; fine.
Only edition. 1/150 copies. With an Introduction by Peter Stansky. A prior Roxburghe-Zamorano Club keepsake dedicated to Emma Lazarus, and her famous sonnet obliquely mentioned her visit and subsequent interview with the artist William Morris—hence, this facsimile of the interview and of Morris' letter. The writer and her sister traveled to England in the spring of 1883 (the same year she wrote “The New Colossus”). Georgiana Burne-Jones, wife of painter Edward Burne-Jones (the well-known Pre-Raphaelite and longtime friend of William Morris), introduced her to the artist. Despite his prejudices against Americans and Jews (“not uncommon from Englishmen of his time and class” according to Stansky), Morris invited Lazarus and her sister to visit him at Merton Abbey. Artist and writer liked each other and three years later Lazarus published this account in Century magazine. As the introduction notes: “Emma Lazarus depicts, with lively interest and sympathy, her meeting with Morris that summer day in Surrey, presenting him vividly in all his facets. Here we have one of the most important designers in Britain, placed among his workmen. We have the poet. And we have the Socialist.” The writer died the year following the magazine publication of this interview.
(#4783)
Print Inquire
