Wine, Water And Song by G. K. Chesterton, Published 1915, Scarce Edition

WINE, WATER AND SONG.
By G. K. Chesterton.

First Published in 1915.
Published by Methuen & Co. Ltd. London. Printed in Great Britain by Unwin Brothers, Limited Printers, Woking and London.

The Songs in this book are taken from "The Flying Inn," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of The New Witness, where they originally appeared.

The Flying Inn is a 1914 novel by English writer G. K. Chesterton. It is set in a future England where the temperance movement has allowed a bizarre form of Progressive Islam to dominate the political and social life of the country. Because of this, alcohol sales to the poor are effectively prohibited, while the rich can get alcoholic drinks "under a medical certificate". The plot centres on the adventures of Humphrey Pump and Captain Patrick Dalroy, who roam the country in their cart with a barrel of rum in an attempt to evade prohibition, exploiting loopholes in the law to temporarily prevent the police taking action against them. Eventually the heroes and their followers foil an attempted coup by an Islamic military force.

This books contain songs only, not The Flying Inn novel itself. The Songs from this book are as follows:

The Englishman

Wine and Water

The Song against Grocers

The Rolling English Road

The Song of Quoodle

Pioneers, O Pioneers

The Logical Vegetarian

"The Saracen's Head"

The Good Rich Man

The Song against Songs

Me Heart

The Song of the Oak

The Road to Roundabout

The Song of the Strange Ascetic

The Song of Right and Wrong

Who Goes Home?

G. K. Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936) wrote around 80 books, several hundred poems, some 200 short stories, 4,000 essays (mostly newspaper columns), and several plays. He was a literary and social critic, historian, playwright, novelist, and Catholic theologian and apologist, debater, and mystery writer.

CONDITION:

The book measures 11.5cm x 17.5cm, just 1cm thick.

Bound in creamy vellum, with attractive floral red and green border decoration, with gilt tooling highlights to the upper board. Gilt title and author name within the border panel. Gilt title and author initials on spine. Vellum is darkened, with significant patchy discolouration on all sides. Gilding and colours remain bright and appealing. Joints holding well with no splitting.

Text block is complete, no loose or missing pages. Top edge gilt, a little darkened and scuffed. Generally age toned throughout, mild foxing, mostly affecting endpapers. Small ink initial inscription on flyleaf, M.E.B 25/12/16, clearly a Christmas gift. Hinges holding well with no splitting.

Overall a scarce First Edition, in attractive decorative binding, in good reading condition. The darkened and discoloured Vellum is the most notable condition issue, but can be forgiven for its scarcity. A worthy addition for collectors of G. K. Chesterton. 

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