A Paradise of Dainty Devices

New York, New York: G.H. Dickson's Sons & Co, 1894. Very good. Boards rubbed with water staining. Some dust soiling, upper hinge cracked, end papers toned.. Rare, with only a single other recorded copy (Brown), "A Paradise of Dainty Devices" is comprised of over 100 pages of original poetry and prose by students at Mademoiselle Ruel's School in Manhattan in 1894. It was compiled by and privately printed for L.C. Baker, Professor of Rhetoric, and attributes each piece to the students via an index with their pseudonyms in the index: Boston, Dido, Vernon, Van Flic, Donovan, Meredith, Hooker, and Pshaw. Subjects of the student's pieces include nature, friendship, school, death, dreaming, Venice, Santa Claus, and more. There is also a poem about each student, titled with their pseudonyms (pp. 46-53), and revealing a little about each of their personalities. Overall, a charming window into the lives of a small group of school girls, their passions and interests.

Square 8vo (7.5" by 6"), pp. 105, [5], in original red cloth binding stamped in gold and blind on upper cover, all edges gilt, patterned end papers.

1 copy on OCLC only (Jan 2023).