EMERSON, Ralph Waldo (1803-1882). Letters and Social Aims. Boston: Osgood 1876.

First edition, presentation copy to Mary Lowell Coolidge, inscribed by Emerson within a fortnight of publication. First issue. Emerson has written on the front flyleaf: "Mrs Algernon Coolidge, with regards of the author. December, 1875." Also with the error "inviolate" in line 5 of p. 308 corrected by hand (?Emerson's) to "inviolable." This error was corrected in type for the second printing. The signature mark "N" on p. 209 also denotes an early copy according to BAL.

The recipient of this volume, Mrs. Algernon Coolidge (1833-1915), was the daughter of Francis Cabot Lowell (1803-1874). Her father was a friend and Harvard classmate of Ralph Waldo Emerson; they graduated together in 1821. Emerson wrote to Mary Coolidge at least twice in 1875, once after the death of her father and once to send the present volume. Myerson A34.1.a; BAL 5272.

Octavo. Original purple cloth (hinges cracked, small chip at foot of spine, light wear to tips, light sunning to spine); modern cloth slipcase. Provenance: Mary Lowell Coolidge, 1833-1915 (authorial inscription) – Sotheby's New York, 1 June 1995, lot 41.