Songs Of The Veld - Rare Boer War Volume

This first edition is an extremely rare volume of poems which first appeared in 'The New Age', a liberal and anticolonialist periodical, and published in book form in 1902. The poems leaked war time information about the atrocities committed by the British army on the civilian population, to the outside world. Those poems written by South Africans were anonymous to prevent prosecution under martial law. The South African contributors include C.Louis Leipoldt (his first published poem), Alice Greene, Betty Molteno, Anna Purcell, Dr. F.C.Kolbe and others. The book was published for the 304 subscribers listed in it, and there were probably not many more copies printed as the sentiments expressed in it were hated by the British and it was banned in South Africa. It is thus one of the very scarcest Boer War items in first edition. It is not in the Hackett Bibliography of South African War Books. It was republished in 2008 by Marthinus van Bart, jounalist for 'Die Burger'. The reprint is done beautifully with a well researched commentary on the background to the book and it's various contributors. Van Bart located 2 copies of the first edition in the archives of UCT and Stellenbosch University (the latter used for the reprint) but was unable to find one in the private sector. This copy is bound in two tone leather and is in very nice condition. The front hinge is slightly cracked but firm and there are a few very neat small pencil annotations mainly to identify the poets. A most desirable item.