A Rural Dr. Johnson” Unique Piece of Irish Publishing History A Modern Irish Classic Cross (Eric) The Tailor and Ansty. The original author’s typescript of this celebrated work, as used by the printers, with various manuscript corrections, and with A.L.s. from the author Eric Cross to Gerald Goldberg, dated Oct. 1952, noting that no other copy exists either in manuscript or in typescript. Also with the original signed typescript of Frank O’Connor’s Foreword, extensively corrected in O’Connor’s hand, folded in a pocket at front. Approx. 284pp., 4to neatly presented in a home-made card binding, the typescript in excellent condition. As a typescript, w.a.f. * Eric Cross’s book based on the conversations of his friend Tim Buckley from Gougane Barra and his wife Ansty – was at the centre of one of the major censorship scandals of the 1940’s. It was banned by the Censorship Board in 1943, apparently because of the racy nature of the Tailor’s conversation, although there is nothing in it to which any reasonable person could take exception. Frank O’Connor described the experience of reading the subsequent Senate debate as ‘like a long, slow swim through a sewage bed,’ Macmillan Dictionary of Irish Literature (1980) described the censorship decision as ‘one of the most ludicrous instances of holy narrowness in those insular De Valera years.’ O’Connor’s forward describes Buckley as ‘a sort of rural Dr. Johnson; it begins as follows:”Because my friend the tailor, gave me the freedom of his circle I have been asked to introduce him to mine. It would be an achievement if I could do it as it should be done; if I could really describe for my friends in England that little cottage in the West Cork mountains, with the Tailor sitting on his butter box, letting out his screech of a laugh, and Ansty muttering curses to herself as she moves around the kitchen, and Patsy Kit singing.. and the row of old men sitting silent on the settle with their hats on their heads, and their sticks between their knees…” A unique document. Provenance: Goldberg Collection.
A Rural Dr. Johnson” Unique Piece of Irish Publishing History A Modern Irish Classic Cross (Eric) The Tailor and Ansty. The original author’s typescript of this celebrated work, as used by the printers, with various manuscript corrections, and with A.L.s. from the author Eric Cross to Gerald Goldberg, dated Oct. 1952, noting that no other copy exists either in manuscript or in typescript. Also with the original signed typescript of Frank O’Connor’s Foreword, extensively corrected in O’Connor’s hand, folded in a pocket at front. Approx. 284pp., 4to neatly presented in a home-made card binding, the typescript in excellent condition. As a typescript, w.a.f. * Eric Cross’s book based on the conversations of his friend Tim Buckley from Gougane Barra and his wife Ansty – was at the centre of one of the major censorship scandals of the 1940’s. It was banned by the Censorship Board in 1943, apparently because of the racy nature of the Tailor’s conversation, although there is nothing in it to which any reasonable person could take exception. Frank O’Connor described the experience of reading the subsequent Senate debate as ‘like a long, slow swim through a sewage bed,’ Macmillan Dictionary of Irish Literature (1980) described the censorship decision as ‘one of the most ludicrous instances of holy narrowness in those insular De Valera years.’ O’Connor’s forward describes Buckley as ‘a sort of rural Dr. Johnson; it begins as follows:”Because my friend the tailor, gave me the freedom of his circle I have been asked to introduce him to mine. It would be an achievement if I could do it as it should be done; if I could really describe for my friends in England that little cottage in the West Cork mountains, with the Tailor sitting on his butter box, letting out his screech of a laugh, and Ansty muttering curses to herself as she moves around the kitchen, and Patsy Kit singing.. and the row of old men sitting silent on the settle with their hats on their heads, and their sticks between their knees…” A unique document. Provenance: Goldberg Collection.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
