Devoted to the Disabled Sailor and Soldier
THE FIRST PUBLISHED WORK BY C. S. LEWIS
Reveille Devoted to the Disabled Sailor and Soldier
His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1918.
Three volumes, comprising the complete run. 8vo. Original blue paper wrappers. Advertisments bound to the rear of each volume. Colour frontispiece by Max Beerbohm to each volume, numerous further colour, photographic and black and white plates by Jean de Bosschere, William Nicholson and others. A very good example of an ephemeral production, with small chips to spine ends and lightly worn joints.
Reveille was the late- and post-war continuation of a journal begun in 1917 titled Recalled To Life and aimed at the war-disabled. Edited by John Galsworthy it published literary works and illustrations from Joseph Conrad, Siegfried Sassoon, Robert Graves, Edith Wharton, Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy and J. M. Barrie, as well as pieces on the more practical aspects on the rehabilitation of disabled soldiers.
Reveille was also the first magazine to publish work by C. S. Lewis, whose poem 'Death In Battle' was published under the pseudonym of Clive Hamilton - annexing his first name and his mother's maiden name. As it was submitted while he was still in the army, Lewis was hoping to avoid "either officers or men to talk about 'our by lyrical poet again' whenever I make a mistake." (LP VI: 36-7)
During his wartime service, Lewis had, in his own words, "amused myself by writing verses, and a pocket book collection of these followed me through France. Since my return I have occupied myself in revising these... and trying to publish them." (LP VI:20-1)
On 9th September 1918 Lewis received word that Heinemann had accepted his typescript titled 'Spirits In Prison: a cycle of lyrical poems', eventually published on 20th March 1919 as 'Spirits In Bondage'. Death In Battle is the closing poem of that cycle.
Visiting Heinemann at the end of October 1918 to sign his contract, he was informed that "John Galsworthy (who publishes with them) had seen my MS and wanted to publish a certain poem in a new monthly called Reveille, which he is bringing out in aid of disabled soldiers and sailors." (LP VI: 58-9)
Although originally produced in large numbers, with the first issue selling 30,000 copies, due to its ephemeral nature complete sets of the magazine are now rather uncommon.
Stock ID: 37714
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