BLISS, William. The Heart of England by Waterway A Canoeing Chronicle By River and Canal.
“…not so very many years ago; it was possible to travel all over England, north, south, east and west, by river and canal; there was not a county you could not visit, hardly a town you could not reach by water, if you liked and if you were not (and what lover of boats and rivers ever was or will be?) in any particular hurry to get there”.
“It is this kind of transcendent experience of earthly beauty that, more than anything else I think, encourages and confirms the still dissatisfied soul of man”.
3 plates, 1 folding map.
Interior: Occasional light spotting, light soiling in places, general internal wear, front portion of map at front folded unevenly).
External: Publisher’s tan cloth with blue pictorial spine (wear and fading to cloth and spine).
PRESENTATION COPY: SIGNED by WILLIAM BLISS on the half title: ‘To Lionel Fielden Esq….William Bliss 16 Jan: 1934″.
William Bliss (c. 1865-????) authored four works mainly on canoeing, and presents here in The Heart of England by Waterway’ a romantic, charming vision of a now largely bygone age. Bliss comments on the River Teme: ” You will always see kingfishers on the Teme- it is the most king-fishery of all the rivers I know”
Lionel Fielden (1896-1974), was a successful producer at the BBC, becoming Director General of All India Radio from 1935-40, he was the first controller of broadcasting for the Indian State Broadcasting Services (ISBS). In 1943 he wrote the important work: Beggar my Neighbour, which discussed India both politically and spiritually at the point of its independence, the work also included an essay about Gandhi.
Chapters include: Thames above Oxford and Cotswold Waters, River Severn, Welshpool to Shrewsbury, Stroudwater Canal and Thames and Severn Canal, Cherwell and Oxford Canal, River Avon…, River Teme…
8vo. London H.F. & G. Witherby, 1933.
PROVENANCE: Previous owner’s inscription to front endpaper.
SCARCE, Charming book, SIGNED by the author.
Please note the information contained within this book is of its time!
Please see photos for book’s condition and further information.
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