TOKLAS, Alice B.
 
An association copy of Smedley’s novel, though himself not related, except as author.
Inscribed by Alice B. Toklas and directly addressing choice lines of Shakespeare to Ada Atkinsion - a woman "whose only place in history is for the birth and torment of Constance Wilde"
Green cloth on boards. Attractively housed quarter-leather clamshell and rather aptly titled: "PARIS GREEN FOR THE MOTHER OF Mrs. WILDE"
A previously unseen and therefore exciting piece of the Wilde history and connection to the left-bank artists of Paris.
 
Description
 
1858, later edition of Smedley's Frank Farleigh.
Toklas inscribed on the seventh page of the book: “Adelaide Atkinson from Alice Toklas”. That it was not on the customary end-paper or title page, the inscription serves to highlight the printed lines immediately following. They’re Shakespeare's verses concerning childhood, adventure, life, grasped or wasted: “…living dully… wear out thy youth…” Undoubtedly this is reference to the abhorrent treatment of Constance in her childhood.
Several of the Wilde circle (particularly Constance’s side) later became good friends with Toklas and Stein. It is in this overlap the context of Alice Toklas’ dedication and sympathy for Mrs. Wilde is to be found. In the years following the Wilde scandal, and their deaths, Constance became ‘poor Mrs. Wilde’ in the public mind. While many also withdrew their association, her personal story and childhood abuse by her mother (Adelaide Atkinson) became more widely known and documented.
Among the friends of Gertrude Stein and Alice Toklas were Mina Loy, Arthur Cravan (Wilde's nephew) and Constance Fletcher. Loy especially will have held personal connection. She was Cravan's wife and had also suffered at the hands of her 'jailer-mother'.
This is the later, 1858, edition and Smedley has no connection other than the printed lines of Shakespeare at the beginning of his first chapter. Perhaps more loosely, the overall plot of the book.
Green cloth on boards. By then Paris Green dye was no longer used by the publishers, but the colour was kept quite similar to that of the very first edition. Unlikely to be the deciding factor in which book Toklas chose to send over to London, but a fitting coincidence nonetheless.
Much earlier, the book belonged to Alfred E Clarke, like Constance and Oscar, also from Dublin, Ireland. Clarke emigrated to San Francisco, California. His famous mansion remains in Eureka Valley, to this day an historic landmark to his colourful character. It is not certain though likely that Alice Toklas will have acquired the book after his bankruptcy, and shortly before herself leaving for Paris.