The Rainbow
D.H. Lawrence, 1915
LAWRENCE, D.H (1885-1930). The Rainbow. London: Methuen & Co., 1915.

First edition, preserving the rare dust jacket. The first printing consisted of 2500 copies, of which the majority were destroyed as a result of the court action against the book. Upon publication, it received “savage reviews, most of which attacked what was understood as the book's overt sexuality, and it was withdrawn from sale ... Its religious language, emotional and sexual explorations of experience, and sheer length had given its readers problems, but it was Ursula's lesbian encounter with a schoolteacher in the chapter 'Shame' which had finally condemned it in the eyes of the law and of a country now focused on conflict: 'A thing like The Rainbow has no right to exist in the wind of war', one review had said”. Roberts A7a.

Octavo. 4 pp. publishers' ads dated Autumn 1915 at end. Original blue cloth; pictorial dust jacket with illustration after Frank Wright (restoration along top edge, corners and spine panel ends with restored chips, affecting a portion of seven letters on spine panel ends); custom chemise and morocco slipcase.