Howells had bonded with Pyle over similar ideas about literary realism and romance in literature and Pyle suggested a professional collaboration in 1891. Several poems by Howells with Pyle's illustration were published in Harper's Weekly before being collected as part of Stops of Various Quills.[2]Henry Clarence Pitz, illustrator and Howard Pyle biographer, describes this collaborative work as "a labor of love"—where the "great kinship" that existed between author and illustrator is evident in "both text and picture."[3] Howells and Pyle both lost children early in the year 1889; Howells, a daughter named Winifred and Pyle, a son named Sellers. Pitz relates how they "both suffered from interludes of melancholia" as a result—a term found etched in illustrations on the pages of "November" and "Question".[4]
Drawing comparison to work of the Boecklin school, Pyle's illustrations have been described as lavish,[5] and adorn each page. An "édition de luxe" was published (with a publication date of 1896), "limited to fifty copies, each signed by Mr. Howells and Mr. Pyle, with illustrations printed in sepia, and the full-page illustrations on Japan proofs in black." This edition sold for $15.[6]
Responses and analysisedit
Limited edition printing with illustrations in sepia
The phrase "stops of various Quills" first appears in John Milton's poem "Lycidas", a well-known elegy which was written in 1637 about the drowning of Milton's friend Edward King.[7] Howells's poems have been said to vary widely in craftsmanship,[8] though Stops of Various Quills has been said to be of high quality and merit.[9] One of the sonnets in the collection, "The Bewildered Guest", is considered to be one of his most quoted works.[5] The book was also noted as dispelling the belief that Howells was a "fatheaded optimist". In conjunction with his collection Poems, Howells was said to be a "major force in the shaping of American literature".[10]
Many of the poems in the collection explore themes of death and mourning.[7] His daughter Winifred had died on March 3, 1889, of a mysterious illness after undergoing the rest cure under Silas Weir Mitchell.[11] Henry K. Bush writes that Stops of Various Quills is "a haunting, well-wrought minor masterpiece that speaks powerfully to Howells's continuing bonds with his dead daughter — or at least, his urgent longing to believe in those bonds, and to maintain them".[7]
Referencesedit
^Stops of various quills : Illustrated by Howard Pyle. OCLC 670195864. Retrieved 5 June 2011 – via WorldCat.
^May, Jill P. and Robert E. Howard Pyle: Imagining an American School of Art. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2011: 36. ISBN978-0-252-03626-2
^ abcBush, Harold K. Continuing Bonds with the Dead: Parental Grief and Nineteenth-Century American Authors. Tuscaloosa, AL: The University of Alabama Press, 2016: 118. ISBN978-0-8173-1902-1
Media related to Howells, Stops of Various Quills, 1895 at Wikimedia Commons
Stops of Various Quills (with illustrations) at Archive.org
January 01, 1970
stops, various, quills, 1895, book, written, william, dean, howells, pages, length, features, poems, illustrations, howard, pyle, authorwilliam, dean, howellsillustratorhoward, pylecountryunited, stateslanguageenglishpublisherharper, brotherspublication, date1. Stops of Various Quills is a 1895 book written by William Dean Howells 55 pages in length 1 it features 43 poems and illustrations by Howard Pyle Stops of Various QuillsAuthorWilliam Dean HowellsIllustratorHoward PyleCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishPublisherHarper amp BrothersPublication date1895Media typePrint Hardcover Pages55OCLC670195864TextStops of Various Quills at Wikisource Contents 1 Overview 2 Responses and analysis 3 References 4 Sources 5 External linksOverview editHowells had bonded with Pyle over similar ideas about literary realism and romance in literature and Pyle suggested a professional collaboration in 1891 Several poems by Howells with Pyle s illustration were published in Harper s Weekly before being collected as part of Stops of Various Quills 2 Henry Clarence Pitz illustrator and Howard Pyle biographer describes this collaborative work as a labor of love where the great kinship that existed between author and illustrator is evident in both text and picture 3 Howells and Pyle both lost children early in the year 1889 Howells a daughter named Winifred and Pyle a son named Sellers Pitz relates how they both suffered from interludes of melancholia as a result a term found etched in illustrations on the pages of November and Question 4 Drawing comparison to work of the Boecklin school Pyle s illustrations have been described as lavish 5 and adorn each page An edition de luxe was published with a publication date of 1896 limited to fifty copies each signed by Mr Howells and Mr Pyle with illustrations printed in sepia and the full page illustrations on Japan proofs in black This edition sold for 15 6 Responses and analysis edit nbsp Limited edition printing with illustrations in sepia The phrase stops of various Quills first appears in John Milton s poem Lycidas a well known elegy which was written in 1637 about the drowning of Milton s friend Edward King 7 Howells s poems have been said to vary widely in craftsmanship 8 though Stops of Various Quills has been said to be of high quality and merit 9 One of the sonnets in the collection The Bewildered Guest is considered to be one of his most quoted works 5 The book was also noted as dispelling the belief that Howells was a fatheaded optimist In conjunction with his collection Poems Howells was said to be a major force in the shaping of American literature 10 Many of the poems in the collection explore themes of death and mourning 7 His daughter Winifred had died on March 3 1889 of a mysterious illness after undergoing the rest cure under Silas Weir Mitchell 11 Henry K Bush writes that Stops of Various Quills is a haunting well wrought minor masterpiece that speaks powerfully to Howells s continuing bonds with his dead daughter or at least his urgent longing to believe in those bonds and to maintain them 7 References edit Stops of various quills Illustrated by Howard Pyle OCLC 670195864 Retrieved 5 June 2011 via WorldCat May Jill P and Robert E Howard Pyle Imagining an American School of Art Urbana IL University of Illinois Press 2011 36 ISBN 978 0 252 03626 2 Pitz p 106 Pitz p 198 a b Gross Cooke p 123 The Literary News p 359 a b c Bush Harold K Continuing Bonds with the Dead Parental Grief and Nineteenth Century American Authors Tuscaloosa AL The University of Alabama Press 2016 118 ISBN 978 0 8173 1902 1 Gross Cooke p 125 Munsey s magazine p 119 Haralson p 227 Ober K Patrick Mark Twain and Medicine Any Mummery Will Cure Columbia MO University of Missouri Press 2003 150 ISBN 0 8262 1502 5Sources editPitz Henry C 1975 Howard Pyle Writer illustrator founder of the Brandywine School Haralson Eric 1998 Encyclopedia of American poetry The nineteenth century Taylor amp Francis ISBN 978 1 57958 008 7 Munsey s magazine Vol 15 The Frank A Munsey Company 1896 OCLC 39944154 William Dean Howells a critical study E P Dutton amp Company 1922 OCLC 274463 The Literary News December 1895 OCLC 39944102 External links edit nbsp Media related to Howells Stops of Various Quills 1895 at Wikimedia Commons Stops of Various Quills with illustrations at Archive org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Stops of Various Quills amp oldid 1211116057, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
