The Shadowy Waters. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1901. First American Edition. Publisher’s gray paper boards, title label to upper cover. Light shelf-wear to boards & along spine hinges, small perforation underneath inscription on front free endpaper, otherwise contents in good condition.

Presentation Copy, Inscribed by Yeats on front free endpaper: ‘W. Stevens from W.B. Yeats with all good wishes 1901′

Also with an autographed letter signed, from 18 Woburn Buildings, Euston Road, to ‘Dear Mr. Stevens from W.B. Yeats.’ Yeats finishes letter ‘You were I think the first editor in England who ever published verse or prose of mine.’

The Shadowy Waters, a verse play that Yeats conceived and began writing in 1884, is called by Foster his ‘eternal work-in-progress.’ The play proved almost impossible to stage. There was a private performance for Yeats and Steven Gwynn at the INTS in London in April of 1904, a production at the Theosophical Society staged by Florence Flarr in 1905 (loathed by Yeats), and further rewrites over subsequent years.

The play first appeared in print in ‘The North American Review’ on 1st May 1900. 

[Wade 31]