Steps to The Crown by A.E. Waite
Publication:1910 William Rider & Son; London First Edition
One of the scarcer titles by A. E. Waite. It is basically a collection of aphorism and maxims - from different (mostly unattributed) sources - gathered together into four parts: The Fashions of this World; Thresholds of many Sanctuaries; Shadows of Secret Light and Consolations of the Greater Law. According to R. A. Gilbert most had been previously published in "Horlick's Magazine" of which Waite was the contributing editor in 1904 and part of 1905. The book was published by Philip Welby in 1906 but evidently did not sell well, and the sheets were passed to William Rider & Son, who reissued it under their imprint, with a cancel title-page, circa 1910. Florence Farr evidently felt highly enough of them, that she reprinted ten of the aphorisms in her "A Calendar of Philosophy" in that same year. Gilbert A20(b). Interestingly Gilbert notes two binding variants: one with the crown in gilt on the front cover, and the other with no crown at all. The binding on this volume, with the crown stamped in blind, appears to be an unrecorded variant.
Condition: Original green textured cloth, gilt title to spine, blindstamp title and crown to front board, the spine is sunned albeit the gilt is still bright, bottom rear corner bumped, all pages are clean and in phenomenal conditioin, overall Very Good condition