"MOBY DICK" AS LITERARY TREASURE

Chronicle (Levin), 10 July 1946, Page 2

"MOBY DICK" AS LITERARY TREASURE

One of the most valuublo items in South ,Seas literature has been obtainod by the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington. It is a copy of the rare lirst edition of "Mobey llick, ' ' by Iler111 an Melville, piublislied in New York in 1851. "Moby Bick, " is considered by many to have been jMelville's iiuest piece of iniaginative writing. It is believed that not more than 5UU copies were issued in the lirst edition. Tliis is an item keenly sought after by collectors in the Unitod States. In reportiug this aceession the Turnbull LLlirariau (iLr. C. 1L II. Taylor ) said that a partieularly gratifying featurcwas that a. great part of the pureliase price was provided by The Friends of the Turnbull Library. This organisatiou, establislied in, 1939, lias already done niucli for the library, and plaus are in liand for further active aid. The library catalogue lists more than 40 items by, or relating to Melville, and has already lirst editions of "Mardi," 1S49, ' " Typee ' J (residence in the Marquesas),' lytO, "O11100/'1 18-17, 'a'nd "Pie/.za Tales, " lS-IO. But hitherto tlie greatest of all had been lacking ex cepl for Louis Becke 's edition of 1901, and Mead SchaeH'er's illustrated text oi 1923. The collected works of 1922-24 in 10 volumes is a valuablc standard edition, and there is quite a body of conleuiporary and liioderu biography, bibliugrapliy, aud erifical studies. Tne Fnglish writer, 11. At. Tomlinsou ranks "Aiobey Bick'' among the iirst lialf dozen books of modern literature, aud classes it with Don.Quixote and Gulliver. A Furojiean opiiiiou des cr'bes it as "the greatest thing written 111 Lnglisli siuee 'Paradise Lost " Aloiiy Biclv was ihe nanie of a liuge aud ferocious wliale, which was allaeked many tim,es. Captain Aliab, of Ihe whaJer Bequod, lost a leg in con rhct with the monster, and vowCd to kill him. The story tells how the eaplain kept his vow, and in the process oecomes almost a complete text-book oi the whaling industry of Ihe late 18th ceutury. l'rubably 110 more lliriiling accoiiut of a wliale hunt has lieen written than that of the three-days' conflicl with Aloby Biek, which was killed, but not bel'ore lie demolishcd the boats and sauk Ihe ship. It has elements ot biograjihy, of imagiuatlveness, of the s]iiritual, and as full a sense of the seanian's niystic feeling for the sea as has ever been put into words. "It is sometiines asked why first editions are so important, becauso often they are not so easy to read as a good modern reprint. The reason is tliat lirst editions often have characteristics that not only daie the work in the author's career, but are of sigailieance for the place and publisher, for the style or format of Ihe book, for the introduclion, illustrations, or notes, for mis- ! prints, rariations from subselquent edi- j tions, and many sueli qioints that j biugraphers, historiaus, and studentsi for a score of reasons, may need toi know. The seutimental view that tho ; hi-sl jirinted form of a work has pride ' of place, is appreciated, but this is jusliliable when oue, eousiders that" iriginal jiaintings are esteemed over ; subseqnent copies and reproductions,1 however good. j