A. J. A. Symons: A Bibliomane, his Books, and his Clubs . By Simon C. W. Hewett

Abstract

A. J. A. Symons was, as Simon C. W. Hewett puts it, ‘bibliophile, bibliographer, bookdealer, calligrapher, serial club founder, gourmet, author, biographer, and expert on Baron Corvo, Oscar Wilde, and Victorian musical boxes’. The range of his interests has made a full bibliographical record a particular challenge. This well produced catalogue of a Grolier Club exhibition goes some way to repairing this deficiency. Mr Hewett begins with ‘A Summary Biography’ that sets out succinctly most of what can be established about Symons's life. This is followed by what is potentially the most important section: ‘Symons's Published Works: A Preliminary List.’ Even allowing for the cautionary ‘Preliminary’, this list has various problems. The range of omissions is considerable. None of Symons's published letters is mentioned, including his first periodical publication, ‘The Bibliography of Meredith’, a letter in the Times Literary Supplement, 21 June 1923, p. 422. A number of other periodical publications are omitted, as are a number of reviews. For example, members of the Grolier Club might well have some interest in his article on the ‘Pleasures of Collecting’, in The Listener, 9 October 1935, p. 606. Since Hewett specifically mentions Symons's interest in Victorian musical boxes, it is a pity that his article on the subject in the same journal (10 August 1939, p.289) is not included. Among his omitted reviews are those of The Origins of Pickwick by Walter Dexter and J. W. T. Ley in the Fortnightly Review, 139 (1936), 625‐26; Desmond Flower and A. N. L. Munby's English Poetical Autographs in Twentieth Century Verse, 14 (December 1938), 139‐40; and of Nicolete Gray, Nineteenth‐ Century Ornamented Types and Title Pages in the Times Literary Supplement, i October 1938, p.632 (this last unsigned). Throughout page numbers, and in some instances dates, are not given for periodical publications or contributions to books.