DOUGHTY, Charles M. The Titans. London: Duckworth and Co. 1916.
8vo. Original green cloth, lettered in gilt with printed dust-jacket; pp. [iv], 160, [2], [2 advertisements], 16 (advertisements); some discolouration to front and rear covers, marks to dust jacket; a very good copy.
First edition with the rare dust-wrappers. Full of the unique lexical style and mysticism that hallmarked his fiction, 'The Titans' is a creation myth devised by Doughty, entertaining a wide cast of characters. At once a metaphor for the human condition and a compelling saga at face value, Doughty writes in his usual poetic style, occasionally punctuated by a synopsis of events so far. What makes 'The Titans' stand out among Doughty's writings is his turning away from local and international affairs to metaphysics.
Within certain circles, Doughty's poetry is seen to be prophetic, with The Cliffs and The Clouds accurately predicting in many ways both the onset and events of the First World War. This, however, provokes the question - just what secrets lie hidden within The Titans? 'Mr Doughty occupies a position by himself. The vigorous impulse and imaginative strength of his genius have created their own medium. Work which owes its power to the bigness of its design and the sheer weight of imagination and intellect' (quote from The Spectator, printed on the front wrapper). 'If anyone wishes to uphold the poet as vates, let him refer to these dramas' (Lascelles Abercrombie, Quarterly Review, taken from the advertisements).
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