THE DESCENT OF THE SUN [Line in Sanskrit] A Cycle of Birth Translated From the Original Manuscript

First edition. With a frontispiece photograph of the crescent moon, with tissue guard. Titlepage printed in red and black. 8vo, in a fine contemporary binding by Hatchards of full navy blue levant morocco, the upper cover with large stylized depiction of the setting sun in gilt, double-ruled gilt frames to both covers, the spine with tall gilt-ruled raised bands between double-gilt-framed compartments, one compartment gilt lettered and with gilt date at the foot, marbled endpapers, gilt turn-ins, t.e.g. With the fine engraved bookplate of William Forbes Morgan, American financier, 1936 Democratic National Treasurer, and cousin of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. xvi, 106, [2] pp. An attractive copy uniquely bound, the text solid but with some light toning and occasional minor foxing, the handsome binding sturdy and first, the inner hinges fine and strong, cosmetic cracking to the leather along the exterior hinges and other minor rubbing do not overly detract from this handsome presentation.

Edizione: scarce, only the second volume of francis william bain's "hindu" fantasies which at this time were still largely believed to be translations of unidentified sanskrit manuscripts. as his series went on, there would eventually be thirteen titles, it became increasingly suspect that these were authentic hindu mythologies. bain was unveiled to the author, not translator, of these "oriental" works, but his readership seemed to care very little and considered it a harmless hoax and the works to be as good those by fantasy writers such as william morris and lord dunsany.<br> many critics were suspect as to these "translations" authentisity from the very beginning. one contemporary reviewer in 'the nation' said -"though palpably a pretense, they are graceful fancies, and might as well have appeared for what they really are instead of masquerading as "translations". no hindu, unless of this generation and under foreign influence, ever conceived these stories. . . . moreover, they are of a strict propriety, whereas original hindu love stories would put rabelais's ghost to the blush.