Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell 1810-1865
Mrs. Gaskell
Biography and Critical Reminiscence
MRS. GASKELL: Haunts, Homes and Stories. By Esther A. Chadwick. London. 1910.
MRS. GASKELL. By the same. London. 1913.
MRS. GASKELL. By A. E. Bayley. (Women Novelists of Queen Victoria’s Reign.) London. 1897.
MRS. GASKELL AND KNUTSFORD. By G. A. Payne. London. 1906.
Bibliography
Much valuable bibliographical information is contained in two little books by Mr. John Albert Green of the Manchester Reference Library:
A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL GUIDE TO THE GASKELL COLLECTION IN THE MOSS-SIDE LIBRARY. Manchester. 1911.
CATALOGUE of an Exhibition of Books and Autographs illustrating the Life and Work of Mrs. E. C. Gaskell. Manchester. 1911.
Students may also be referred to:
GASKELL BIBLIOGRAPHY. A list of the writings of Mrs. E. C. Gaskell and of the Rev. William Gaskell. By Wm. E. A. and Ernest Axon. Manchester. 1895.
I — Editiones Principes — Fiction, Biography, etc.
1848
Vol. I. pp. (x) [paged as viii] + 317 + (3). The place of half-title and verso is taken by a publishers’ advertisement, 2 pp., listing: “Chapman and Hall’s Series of Original Works in Fiction, Biography, and General Literature.”
Vol. II. pp. (ii) + 312.
Note—This book was published in October, 1848.
Note—This story first appeared in 1847, in Vol. I. of “Howitt’s Journal,” over the pseudonym “Cotton Mather Mills.” It was issued by Chapman and Hall over the author’s name in 1855 as a fourpenny pamphlet of twenty-four pages.
1850
Note—These stories first appeared in 1847 and 1848 in Vols. II. and III. of “Howitt’s Journal,” over the pseudonym “Cotton Mather Mills.” They were reissued under one cover by Chapman and Hall in 1855 over the author’s name.
1850
Note—This pamphlet was a pirated edition of a story published anonymously in “Household Words” and rashly assumed by the pirates to have been written by Dickens. It made a further appearance the next year in The Irving Offering (New York, 1851), still over Dickens’ name.
1850
THE MOORLAND COTTAGE. By the author of Mary Barton. With illustrations by Birket Foster. London: Chapman and Hall, 193 Piccadilly. 1850. 1 vol. Fcap. 8vo (4¼ × 6¾). Pp. (viii) + 182 + (2). Advertisement of Mary Barton occupies p. (183). Line-engraved frontispiece and picture title-page precede printed title-page. Other line-engraved illustrations here and there in the text. Maroon cloth, full gilt, blocked in gold and blind. Pale yellow end-papers.
Note—This book was published in December, 1850.
1853
Vol. I. pp. (ii) + 298. Publishers’ advertisements, 36 pp., dated 1853, bound in at end.
Vol. II. pp. (ii) + 328.
Vol. III. pp. (ii) + 311 + (1).
Note—This book was published in January, 1853.
1853
1854
1855
Contents: The Well of Pen Morfa—The Heart of John Middleton—Disappearances—The Old Nurse’s Story—Traits and Stories of the Huguenots—Moreton Hall—My French Master—The Squire’s Story—Company Manners—Mr. Harrison’s Confessions—Libbie Marsh’s Three Eras—The Sexton’s Hero—Christmas Storms and Sunshine—Hand and Heart—Bessie’s Troubles at Home.
This is the first edition of all the above stories, with the exception of Lizzie Leigh, Libbie Marsh’s Three Eras, The Sexton’s Hero, Christmas Storms and Sunshine, Hand and Heart, and Bessie’s Troubles at Home.
Notes—(i) This book was published in September, 1855. It is a volume in Chapman and Hall’s Select Library of Fiction, published at two shillings.
(ii) It may be of interest to enthusiasts to know that Lizzie Leigh was adapted for the stage by W. R. Waldron and published in May, 1872, as No. 1393 in Lacy’s Acting Editions of British Plays. Mrs. Gaskell must be absolved from all responsibility for this dramatization.
1855
Vol. I. pp. (viii) + 320. Advertisement of previous works by the same author occupies p. (i), preceding half-title. Publishers’ advertisements, 4 pp., bound in at end.
Note—This book was published in March, 1855.
1855
1857
Vol. I. pp. viii + 352.
Vol. II. pp. viii + 327 + (1). Publishers’ catalogue, 16 pp., dated March, 1857, bound in at end.
Note—This book was published in April, 1857.
1859
Vol. I. pp. (iv) + 340. Publishers’ advertisement slip, printed on yellow paper, should be found inserted between the front end-papers.
Contents: Vol. I., Round the Sofa—My Lady Ludlow. Vol. II., The Accursed Race—The Doom of the Griffiths—Half a Life-time Ago—The Poor Clare—The Half-Brothers.
Notes—(i) This book was published in March, 1859.
(ii) It should be observed that only Vol. II. contains a list of contents, the corresponding page (iv) in Vol. I. being occupied by an author’s note.
1860
Contents: Right at Last—The Manchester Marriage—Lois the Witch—The Crooked Branch.
Note—This book was published on May 10, 1860.
1861
LOIS THE WITCH AND OTHER TALES. By E. C. Gaskell, author of Mary Barton, The Life of Charlotte Brontë. Copyright edition. Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz. 1 vol. (4½ × 6¼). Pp. (viii) + 338 + (2). Usual Tauchnitz paper wrappers.
Contents: Lois the Witch, The Grey Woman, The Doom of the Griffiths, The Half-Brothers, The Crooked Branch.
Note—This is a first edition of The Grey Woman.
1863
Vol. I. pp. (viii) + 310 + (2).
Vol. II. pp. (iv) + 294. No half-title.
Vol. III. pp. (iv) + 284 + (4). No half-title. Advertisement of The Life of Charlotte Brontë occupies pp. (285) to (288).
Note—This book was published in March, 1863.
1863
Note—This book was published in May, 1863.
1865
The Grey Woman: And Other Tales. By Mrs. Gaskell, Author of Mary Barton, North and South, Sylvia’s Lovers, Cousin Phillis, Cranford etc. Illustrated Edition. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 65 Cornhill. MDCCCLXV. 1 vol. Cr. 8vo (5 × 7½). Pp. (iv) + 280. No half-title. Wood-engraved frontispiece and picture title-page precede printed title. Two illustrations in course of the text, wood engraved and printed separately. Red embossed cloth, gilt, blocked in blind. Yellow end-papers.
Contents: The Grey Woman—Curious if True—Six Weeks at Heppenheim—Libbie Marsh’s Three Eras—Christmas Storms and Sunshine—Hand and Heart—Bessie’s Troubles at Home—Disappearances.
Note—This book was published in October, 1865. It is a first edition of Curious if True and Six Weeks at Heppenheim.
1865
Cousin Phillis: And Other Tales. By Mrs. Gaskell, author of Mary Barton, North and South, Sylvia’s Lovers, Cranford etc. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 65 Cornhill. MDCCCLXV. 1 vol. Cr. 8vo (5 × 7½). Pp. (iv) + 286 + (2). Publishers’ advertisements occupy pp. (287) and (288). No half-title. Wood-engraved frontispiece and picture title-page, printed separately, precede printed title. Two illustrations in the course of the text, wood engraved and printed separately. Red embossed cloth, blocked in gold and blind. Uniform with The Grey Woman. Cream end-papers.
Contents: Cousin Phillis—Company Manners—Mr. Harrison’s Confessions—The Sexton’s Hero.
Notes—(i) This book was published in December, 1865.
(ii) It is a first edition of Cousin Phillis, which story appeared serially in the “Cornhill.”
1866
Vol. I. pp. (iv) + 336.
Vol. II. pp. (iv) + 332.
No half-titles. Ten illustrations in Vol. I. and eight in Vol. II., all wood engraved and printed separately. Maroon cloth, blocked in gold. Pale yellow end-papers.
Note—This book was published in February, 1866. The story appeared serially in the “Cornhill.”