WHAT IS A CLASSIC?

First trade edition, first printing. Original blue cloth with gilt titles to the spine, in dustwrapper. A very good copy, the binding square and firm, the spine a little faded. The contents, with a few spots to the endpapers and very infrequently to the margins, are otherwise clean throughout and without inscriptions or stamps. Complete with the lightly rubbed, nicked and creased dustwrapper that has minor loss to the head and middle of the toned spine. Not price-clipped (3s. 6d. on the front flap).

The first Annual Address to the Virgil Society, of which T. S. Eliot was the first president. This is the 'ordinary issue' was published on February 2nd 1945 in an edition of 4500 copies. There was also an issue of 500 copies in green heavy paper covers published 'early in 1945' for distribution gratis to members of the Virgil Society. (Gallup A45).