Life of Joseph, the Prophet
New York: NP, 1878. First edition. Cloth. ix, 545 pp. Flake-Draper 9043. Double ruled blindstamped border on front and rear covers. Title in gilt on front cover and in a reverse stencil banner on the rear cover; the spine has gilt decorations at its head and foot with the title and author in a gilt title banner as well as a gold cross; plain edges and brown coated endsheets.
This copy has very minor tears to the cloth at the head and foot of a faded spine; minor rubbing to the edges and corners as well as minor cracking to the front hinge; there's also a small brown stain to the top corners of the last 30 pages or so.
Edward Wheelock Tullidge (1829-1894), a British convert, was a prime example of having "all your bases covered." After arriving in Utah in 1861, his dreams of becoming a literary star went unfulfilled and he joined the ranks of the disillusioned Godbeites (after a near-conversion by RLDS missionaries). After a falling out with them, he returned-at least to some degree-to fellowship in Utah. This biography of Joseph Smith (the fruits of an earlier plan to write a 15,000 line poetic biography-scraps only were ever published in the Millennial Star) was produced during the short window in which he was back in the LDS fold. The Preface evinces the perhaps surprising amount of support Tullidge had, given his earlier dalliance. He reports that the book was a request from Brigham Young and that George A. Smith, Joseph F. Smith and Eliza R. Snow had all given encouragement or assistance along the way. In terms of scope, Tullidge notes that his goal was not to "give an exhaustive record of his acts and sayings" but "rather … to present those matters only of wide and general significance those gems of thought and deed that best exhibit the prophet-nature of the man." One of the more difficult nineteenth-century bios to find. Condition: Very good. Item #41076
Price: $400.00