Sold with a letter to Viola Meynell
HAMILTON, George Rostrevor. The Sober War and Other Poems of 1939. London; William Heinemann Ltd. 1940. Signed

8vo.; original smooth black cloth lettered in dark red, in cream letterpress dustwrapper; pp. [iv], [v-viii] + 37; with a couple of tiny nicks to upper cover but otherwise a fine copy in a remarkably good jacket, with just a little light dusting and marking.

First edition. A presentation copy from the author to his personal friend, the author and poet Viola [Meynell], “Viola with love from George, April 1940”. 

Sold with an autograph letter signed by the author to the same recipient in which he discusses at length a poem of his, “Overthrow”, which is included in this collection. Also accompanied by another separate note to the Meynell family on headed letter paper of Swan House, Chiswick Mall, W4, signed with the author’s initials.

George Rostrevor Hamilton (1888-1967) was an English poet, critic and civil servant who published war poetry in World War I. He is best known for “A Cross in Flanders” which explores themes of bravery, fear and laughter in the face of death.  As a close personal friend of Viola Meynell’s father and mother, Wilfred and Alice, he rubbed shoulders, at Humphrey’s Homestead in Greatham, with literary luminaries such as D.H. Lawrence (who lived there rent free) and E.M. Forster, who became part of the artist’s colony there.  He also counted Walter de la Mare and C.S. Lewis among his close correspondents.