Published 23 August 1916 at 7/6 in an edition of 2,000 copies. In a letter to John Eglinton, dated 25 September 1916, GM wrote “Werner Laurie is now selling the third edition, which is certainly the fourth thousand and may be the fifth. The first edition was two thousand and the second may have been the same.”

Description

Height: 8 3/4 in; 8.75 in; 22.23 cm

Width” 5 5/8 in; 5.63 in; 14.29 cm

[a]4, A-2F8, 2G4; pp [viii], 472, comprising:

blank page, with list of three books “By GEORGE MOORE” in a three-compartment box on verso, pp [i-ii];
half title, verso blank, pp [iii-iv];
title page, verso blank, pp [v-vi];
A DEDICATION (fifteen lines in two paragraphs), verso blank, pp [vii-viii];

In all impressions after the first the dedication is set in fourteen lines in one paragraph as in the signed, limited edition (A35-a2)

text pp 1-471;
“THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED, EDINBURGH” in center p [472];
white endpapers, either

top edges trimmed, fore and bottom edges untrimmed
all edges trimmed

bound with marbled paper-covered board sides,

bound with either

smooth brown cloth spine and corners
brown pebbly spine and corners

spine simulating a leather binding with five raised horizontal bands and three medallions in blind, and with white paper label, lettered in black:

The

Brook

Kerith

ornament

GEORGE

MOORE

T. Werner Laurie, Ltd.

LONDON

Danielson lists the cloth as being “imitation leather” and further notes “Owing to the orders coming in so rapidly, the publishers had to increase the size of the edition, and as the binders had saved only a certain amount of tan imitation leather, they were instructed to use the nearest material they could to bind the balance; these remaining copies were bound in half brown pegamoid."
It is unknown how many copies were issued in each state of the first impression. Copies of the second, third and fourth impressions (called “editions” in publication notes on versos of title leaves) are bound in a darker, coarser brown cloth (“pegamoid”).
The smooth cloth was again used for the fifth impression (A35-a3).

There are two issues of the first edition:

As described above
An issue of 200 copies according to Danielson for use in circulating libraries, the sheets slightly cut down (8 1/2 in; 8.5 in; 21.59 cm x 5 1/2 in; 5.5 in; 13.97 cm), all edges trimmed, bound in gray cloth, publisher’s monogram in black within a circle in center of back cover, front cover plain, spine lettered in black:

The

Brook

Kerith

rule

George

Moore

T. Werner

Laurie Ltd.

A second impression, with minor revisions, published 11 September 1916; a third impression, 17 September 1916; and a fourth impression, 9 October 1916.

Previously unpublished, but based on The Apostle (A30-a). Both are dedicated to Mary Hunter, whose gift of a Bible in 1898 started GM’s thoughts toward the present story.

A35-a2 Limited edition

Title Page

[as in A35-a]

Launch

Published 23 August 1916 at 35/- in an edition of 250 copies.

Description

Height: 9 in; 22.86 cm

Width: 5 5/8 in; 5.63 in; 14.29 cm

Printed from plates of first edition (A35-a) with all particulars, including title page, as in that edition, except

dedication (p [v]) is set in fourteen lines in one paragraph;
a single leaf ([b]1) is tipped in following the dedication leaf ([a]4) with notice of limitation on recto, verso blank, pp [ix-x];

This edition de luxe consists of

250 copies, numbered and signed.

This is No. ＿ [numbered in ink]

George Moore [signed in ink]

gray endpapers; all edges untrimmed;
blue and white headband;
gray paper-covered board sides, matching the endpapers;
white parchment spine, with white paper label on spine, lettered in blue:

Edition de Luxe

The

Brook

Kerith

ornament

GEORGE

MOORE

T. Werner Laurie, Ltd.

LONDON

all within single-rule box

Same as the first edition (A35-a).

A35-a3 Fifth impression, with preface

Title Page

[as in A35-a]

Launch

Published December 1921 at 21/- in an edition of 500 copies according to Books of the “Nineties”.

Description

Height 8 7/8 in; 8.88 in; 22.54 cm

Width: 5 7/8 in; 5.88 in; 14.92 cm

Printed from corrected plates of first edition (A35-a), with all particulars as in that edition, except

first gathering is [a]8;
printer’s imprint on title page changed to

THE DUNEDIN PRESS LTD., EDINBURGH

and date changed to 1921;

PREFACE pp [ix]-xiv;
p [472] blank;
gray endpapers;
all edges untrimmed;
binding as in the first edition.

The “Preface,” originally published as “ ‘The Brook Kerith.’ Mr. George Moore’s New Preface. How SL Paul Died.” in the Sunday Times, 6 November 1921, is new and found in no other edition. In it GM relates “that the text has been slightly amended here and there.”

The pages of this edition, reproduced at 92 percent, were used for a photo-offset reprint:

A35-a3a Kaye & Ward edition

Kaye & Ward, London, 1971.

A35-2a First American edition

Title Page

THE

BROOK KERITH

A Syrian Story

GEORGE MOORE

double rule

So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he

went and dwelt by the brook Kerith, that is before Jordan. And the

ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and

flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook — I Kings xvii. 5,6.

double rule

New York

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY

1916

Launch

Published 23 August 1916 at $1.50. Actual date of publication according to copyright data in Library of Congress, and this is confirmed by R. L. DeWilton, assistant editor-in-chief of Macmillan Company, New York, who informs me regarding the statement “Published May, 1916” on verso of title leaf, “We did plan to publish our first edition in May of 1916, but we postponed it to coincide with the publication of the English edition, and consequently our date was August 23, 1916.”

Description

Height: 7 1/2 in; 7.5 in; 19.05 cm

Width: 5 1/8 in; 5.13 in; 13.02 cm

[A]1 (tipped in between B2 and B3), B-2I8 (signed on recto of third leaves), [2K]2 (tipped in); pp [vi], 496, comprising:

half titie, with publisher’s monogram and world-wide addresses on verso, pp [i-ii];
title page, with

BY GEORGE MOORE.

rule

Set up and electrotyped. Published May, 1916.

in center and

Norwood Press

J. S. Cushing Co.-Berwick & Smith Co.

Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.

at bottom of verso, pp [iii-iv];

A DEDICATION (fourteen lines in one paragraph), verso blank, pp [v-vi];
text pp 1-486, with “Printed in the United States of America.” at foot of p 486;
publisher’s notice within single rule box in center of p [487];
p [488] blank;
publisher’s advertisements pp [489-95];
p [496] blank;
white endpapers;
top and bottom edges trimmed, fore edges untrimmed;
bound in dark green cloth, back cover plain, ornamental border in blind on front cover, which is gilt lettered

THE

BROOK

KERITH

GEORGE MOORE

ornament

and spine gilt stamped

THE

BROOK

KERITH

MOORE

ornament

MACMILLAN

with ornamental border at top and bottom of spine

Same as the first edition (A35-a). Second and third impressions issued September 1916, reimposed B-2I8 (signed on recto of fourth leaves), [2K]4, and with notation of reprintings

added on verso of the title leaf.

A35-2a2 New American edition, with preface

Title Page

[As in A35-2a]

Launch

Published 10 October 1916 at $1.50. Mr. DeWilton further informs me, “So far as I can gather from our rather faulty records of that early time, this edition was probably published either October 10 or October 30.” The earlier date has been assigned as subsequent Macmillan printings have the publication notice on the verso of the title leaf

New Edition with Preface, October, 1916

Reprinted October, 1916.

The reprinting date seems to account for the second date listed by Mr. DeWilton.

Description

Height: 7 1/2 in; 7.5 in; 19.05 cm

Width: 5 1/8 in; 5.13 in; 13.02 cm

B-2I8 (signed on recto of seventh leaves), 2K8; pp xii, 500; printed from reimposed plates of first American edition (A35-2a) with all particulars the same except

NEW EDITION WITH A PREFACE added on title page before publisher’s imprint,
and notation “New edition with a preface, October, 1916.” added on verso, pp [iii-iv];
PREFACE pp vii-x; fiy-title, verso blank, pp [xi-xii];
and pp [496-500] blank.

The “Preface,” which is new and found in no other edition, is based on a letter, “Mr. George Moore on Christ’s Divinity,” in the Pall Mall Gazette, 4 September 1916; the text has minor revisions and is basically the same as that of the second impression of the first edition (A35-a) published 11 September 1916. New impressions October 1916, March 1917, and November 1926. Sheets of the March 1917 impression were used for:

A35-2a3 Brentano Uniform Edition

Brentano Uniform Edition, New York, 1917, with cancel tipped in title leaf which has recto as in new American edition (A35-2a2) including Macmillan imprint, but with verso as in first American edition (A35-2a), except THIS EDITION SPECIALLY PRINTED FOR BRENTANO’S is added after the publication date.

This revised text also was used for:

A35-3a Tauchnitz edition

Collection of British Authors, two volumes, Nos. 4536 and 4537, Bernhard Tauchnitz, Leipzig, 1920.

A35-4a Carra Edition

Carra Edition, Boni and Liveright, New York, 24 November 1923. There is a tipped-in frontispiece protected by a tissue guard sheet lettered in red at foot of verso

GEORGE MOORE

From a Pencil Sketch by “Jack” Yeats

on an Abbey Theatre Programme.

The author’s “Note” (pp [ix-x]) is principally quoted from “Apologia pro scriptis meis,” the introductory essay to the Carra Edition, printed in Volume I, Lewis Seymour and Some Women (A36-4a). In it GM says, “for a thorough revision of the text I had to wait for the Carra edition,” although most of the revisions first appeared in the fifth impression of the first English edition (A-35a3).

A35-b Second English (Uniform) edition, revised

Title Page

THE

BROOK KERITH

A SYRIAN STORY

GEORGE MOORE

vignette

London

William Heinemann Ltd.

1927

Launch

Published November 1927 at 10/6.

Description

Height: 9 in; 22.86 cm

Width: 5 1/2 in; 5.5 in; 13.97 cm

a4, A-2F8, 2G2 (tipped in); pp [viii], 468, comprising:

blank leaf, except for signature letter on recto, pp [i-ii];
half title, with two titles

PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN

THE SAME FORMAT

listed on verso, pp [iii-iv];

title page, with list of previous impressions (called “editions”) concluding with “Seventh " [Edition] (revised) 1927” in center and

Printed in Great Britain by the Riverside Press Limited

Edinburgh

at foot of verso, pp [v-vi];

A DEDICATION, verso blank, pp [vii-viii];
text pp 1-468;
extra spine label tipped in on lower left corner of recto of free endpaper;
white endpapers;
all edges untrimmed;
marbled paper-covered board sides,
brown cloth spine, with white paper label on spine lettered in brown:

The

Brook

Kerith

George

Moore

Heinemann

This final text was again revised and incorporates most of the revisions made in previous printings. Sheets of this edition also were issued in a red cloth binding, gilt lettered on the spine, for distribution in 1931 by The Times Book Club. The Uniform Edition was reissued in a different binding as:

A35-b2 Ebury Edition

Ebury Edition, Heinemann, London, November 1937. Plates of this edition were used for:

A35-b2a Heinemann edition

William Heinemann Ltd., London & Toronto, [1937]. This impression was issued in a somewhat smaller format, on thinner paper, with the title page in red, and bound in half-leather.

A35-2b First illustrated edition

Title Page

GEORGE MOORE

THE BROOK KERITH [in blue]

A SYRIAN STORY

WITH TWELVE ENGRAVINGS

STEPHEN GOODEN

engraving of seated shepherd and dog

LONDON

WILLIAM HEINEMANN LTD.

1929

Launch

Published 28 March 1929 in an edition of 375 copies.

Description

Height: 10 1/4 in; 10.25 in; 26.04 cm

Width: 6 3/8 in; 6.38 in; 16.19 cm

[ ]4, A-Y8, Z6, plus nine inserted engravings and ten tissue guard sheets; pp [viii], 364, comprising:

half title, with notice of limitation on verso, pp [i-ii];

This edition of The Brook Kerith, printed

on hand-made paper from hand-set type,

is limited to 375 copies. This is number… [numbered in ink]

George Moore [signed in ink]

Stephen Gooden [signed in Ink]

tissue guard sheet, not paginated;
title page, verso blank, pp [iii-iv];
A DEDICATION, verso blank, pp [v-vi];
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS, verso blank, pp [vii-viii];

see nos. 55-66 in An Iconography of the Engravings of Stephen Gooden, by Campbell Dodgson, London, 1944.

text pp 1-[362], with engravings at top of p 1 and bottom of p [362], and nine inserted engravings, each protected by tissue guard sheet, facing pp 18, 72, 88, 110, 184, 226, 240, 264, and 286, not paginated;
pp [363-364] blank;
white endpapers;
all edges untrimmed;
green and gold headband;
bound in full parchment over beveled boards;
back and front covers plain,
spine gilt stamped

GEORGE MOORE

THE

BROOK KERITH

small diamond

ENGRAVINGS BY

STEPHEN GOODEN

HEINEMANN

Text same as second English edition (A35-b).

A35-3b First American illustrated edition

Title Page

GEORGE MOORE

THE BROOK KERITH [in blue]

A SYRIAN STORY

WITH TWELVE ENGRAVINGS

STEPHEN GOODEN

engraving of seated shepherd and dog

NEW YORK

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY

1929

Launch

Published 18 June 1929 at $35 in an edition of 500 copies.

Description

Height: 10 in; 25.4 cm

Width: 6 1/8 in; 6.13 in; 15.56 cm

[1]1 (tipped in), [2]12, [3-25]8, [26]4, plus nine inserted engravings and ten tissue guard sheets; pp [x], 392, comprising:

notice of limitation, verso blank, pp [i-ii];

Of this revised and reset edition of

THE BROOK KERITH 500 copies

have been printed for American sale,

of which this is number … [numbered in ink]

George Moore [signed in ink]

Stephen Gooden [signed in ink]

half title, verso blank, pp [iii-iv];
tissue guard leaf, not paginated;
title page, with

BY GEORGE MOORE.

rule

Set up and electrotyped. Published May, 1916.

rule

Reprinted twice, September, 1916.

New Edition with Preface, October, 1916.

Reprinted October, 1916; March, 1917.

Reissued November, 1926.

Special limited and illustrated Edition completely revised

and reset. Published June, 1929.

on verso, pp [v-vi];

A DEDICATION, verso blank, pp [vii-viii];
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS, verso blank, pp [ix-x];
text pp 1-391, with engravings at top of p 1 and bottom of p 391, and inserted engravings, each protected by a tissue guard sheet, facing pp 18, 76, 96, 118, 198, 246, 262, 288, and 310, not paginated;
p [392] blank;
black endpapers;
top edges gilt, fore and bottom edges untrimmed;
cream head and tail bands;
black paper-covered board sides, matching endpapers, front and back covers stamped with gilt rule at juncture of black paper sides
back cover otherwise plain, front cover gilt stamped with facsimile “George Moore” signature,
white vellum spine gilt lettered

GEORGE MOORE

THE

BROOK KERITH

ENGRAVINGS BY

STEPHEN GOODEN

[dot] MACMILLAN [dot]

Selected in 1930 as one of the “Fifty Books of the Year” by the American Institute of Graphic Arts.

Same as the English illustrated edition (A35-2b). Plates of this edition, without the Gooden engravings, were used for:

A35-3b2 Popular edition

Popular edition, Macmillan, New York, 1936; reprinted July 1956.

A35-3b3 Black and Gold Library

Black and Gold Library, Liveright, New York, 1969, with title page (except for publisher’s imprint), and text, including Stephen Gooden engravings, reproduced by photo-offset from the Macmillan illustrated edition (A35-3b). There is a “Preface” by Walter James Miller and a frontispiece reproduced from a painting of GM by J. B. Yeats.

This final revised text also was used for:

A35-4b Penguin Books

Penguin Books, No. 844, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, 14 November 1952.

Bibliographical Comment

The Brook Kerith, perhaps to a greater extent than any other work by GM, shows his painstaking effort to perfect his writing. Practically every new printing has minor revisions, and while none can be considered a major rewriting the cumulative effect is of a new text. I have, therefore, assigned a single textual letter to all editions until the final text was achieved, but have noted each edition that contains revisions.

A dramatization of a portion of The Brook Kerith was published in 1923 as The Apostle (A30-b) and revised in 1930 as The Passing of the Essenes (A55).

See D:Fr-24 for a French translation.

Source: Curated by George Moore Interactive LLC (georgemooreinteractive.org) — Shared for research, educational, and personal use.