Leaves of Grass [Worthington Pirated Edition]
![Leaves of Grass [Worthington Pirated Edition]](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/848/348/1537348848.0.x.jpg)
- Boston: Thayer and Eldridge, 1880
Boston: Thayer and Eldridge, 1880. Very Good. Boston: Thayer and Eldridge [Richard Worthington], 1860-61 [but ca. 1880]. Third Edition, presumed fourth (and second unauthorized) printing. Octavo (19cm); 456 pp. Frontispiece by S.A. Schoff, with tissue guard. Blind-stamped pebbled maroon cloth with gilt lettering to spine; light yellow endpapers. Boards rubbed at corners and with a bit of fading to spine and some tugging and fraying at head and tail. Front board a bit shaky and a crack starting at rear hinge, but binding is holding soundly. Binding is sound and pages unmarked.
Richard Worthington issued this unauthorized edition after acquiring the Thayer plates, which were sold at auction in 1879 (Thayer went bankrupt in 1861). Worthington had approached Whitman with an offer for the author to "complete" the book, which Whitman refused. He was therefore dismayed to find a copy of the book a year later in a Philadelphia bookstore. Legal action was threatened but never taken, and Whitman did accept royalties for the book despite his discontent. A copy seen by Myerson contains a note by editor Laurens Maynard (of Small, Maynard, & Co.), which notes that "Whitman bought the plates from Worthington who also turned over to him what he guaranteed to be all of the books he had left. But upon his subsequent failure after Whitman's death a large number of this edition were found in his stock."
[Myerson A2.3.d].
Richard Worthington issued this unauthorized edition after acquiring the Thayer plates, which were sold at auction in 1879 (Thayer went bankrupt in 1861). Worthington had approached Whitman with an offer for the author to "complete" the book, which Whitman refused. He was therefore dismayed to find a copy of the book a year later in a Philadelphia bookstore. Legal action was threatened but never taken, and Whitman did accept royalties for the book despite his discontent. A copy seen by Myerson contains a note by editor Laurens Maynard (of Small, Maynard, & Co.), which notes that "Whitman bought the plates from Worthington who also turned over to him what he guaranteed to be all of the books he had left. But upon his subsequent failure after Whitman's death a large number of this edition were found in his stock."
[Myerson A2.3.d].