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[Fairfield, Miss G. G.; Fairfield, Miss Gertrude]
Irene; or, The Autobiography of an Artist's Daughter and Other Tales
Boston: Damrell and Moore
1853
First Edition in book form.
Octavo, 383 pages, publisher's original richly gilt-decorated red cloth boards. All edges gilt. Now protected in a clear archival mylar jacket. Lacks front free endpaper, some occasional minor scattered foxing, minimal rubbing, else in very good condition.
First edition in book form, containing two distinct tales written by sisters. The first, The Vice President’s Daughter, is attributed to Miss Geneviere Genevra Fairfield, whose name also appears on the copyright page. It was originally intended to be followed by another of her works, but as explained in an “Authoress’ Notice” preceding the second tale, an “unavoidable delay” led her sister, Miss Gertrude Fairfield, to contribute Irene in its place. Signed by Gertrude Fairfield, the notice clarifies the change in authorship and the familial collaboration behind the volume. Irene, a fictional autobiography, follows the inner life of a young woman raised in an artistic household, exploring themes of virtue, suffering, and spiritual awakening. The additional tales in the volume reflect similarly didactic and moralistic themes, aimed at young women and readers of religious literature. Published by Damrell & Moore, a Boston firm known for its reformist and educational titles, the book is a scarce example of early American sentimental fiction.
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