Unpublished poems of Shaw Neilson. Edited by James Devaney

Component identifier:

Item 43

Content Summary:

Red boards. Imitation leather spine. Angus Robertson Ltd. Sydney. 1947

Five copies. Inscribed on end paper: "Dear Harry Chaplin, This little book was done because I thought there was a strong chance that the notebooks would continue to be mutilated, and perhaps scattered and lost. They are already in a terrible state... I finally got Frank to sell them to the Mitchell Library where they now are. I have corrected a punctuation error on page 9. The book fell flat. This is not Neilson's day. James Devaney."

Inserted are the following letters. Autograph letter from James Devaney to Frank Neilson, 18 August 1948: "...I'm interested to hear if the Mitchell will take the notebooks. You are right to leave them absolutely intact. There's nothing private in them to the extent of warranting any destruction. Only, the Mitchell will have to offer a reasonable price. The notebooks are more valuable than they look. I'd buy them myself like a shot if I had the money and present them to the Mitchell or the Oxley. Above all, don't separate them, or dispose of them in lots. Their value is to have the whole of them together. Remember, the present flair for Modernist poetry is a vogue that will pass, and there will be a return to real poetry and J.S.N. He was a genius in his way, and talent, cleverness, smartness (of the modernists) is something far less...If nothing happens let me know, and I'll try and get the Literary Societies to get together and acquire the notebooks. Always sincerely yours, Jim Devaney." Letter from Angus Robertson Ltd., 22 June 1946 to James Devaney: "We have accepted for publication the MS of Mr Shaw Neilson's Unpublished Verses which you submitted to us, and will pay royalty to Mr Frank Neilson as requested. This is a very nice gesture on your part..." Signed by W.G. Cousins for the company. Autograph letter from Frank Neilson to Devaney, 13 July 1946: "...I am grateful to know of your generous provision re the royalties from Jock's new book of poems...I had a note from Mr Cousins of A R advising me of your kind stipulation...it is really very satisfactory to think that the book will not be on such a slight profit as Collected Poems." This letter is of 3 pp with much of Neilson interest.

Names:

John Shaw Neilson

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