The Courtship of Miles Standish

5W Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Illustrations by Howard Chandler Christy. Bobbs Merrill Company, 1903.

Notes

The Courtship of Miles Standish is a narrative poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, published in 1858. Set in the early days of the Plymouth Colony, it tells a semi-fictional love triangle between three real-life Pilgrims: Captain Miles Standish, his shy friend John Alden, and the beautiful Priscilla Mullins. In the poem, Standish asks Alden to propose to Priscilla on his behalf, but Priscilla, aware of Alden’s own feelings for her, famously replies, “Why don’t you speak for yourself, John?” Blending history, romance, and humor, the poem explores themes of love, friendship, bravery, and personal integrity. Written in a rhythmic, classical meter, it showcases Longfellow’s talent for storytelling and his ability to bring American colonial history to life in a poetic and accessible way.

Description

Blue cloth binding with gilt lettering on upper board and spine. Cream embossed details on upper board as well. Minimal bumping to points. Some fraying to top of spine. Crease in upper right corner. A few cursory stains to upper board. Slight straining to binding but still fully intact. Illustrative details on every page and some black and white and some colored images throughout. Inscription on a preliminary endpaper dated 1908. Fine condition overall.