BETJEMAN, John (1906-84). Continual Dew, London, 1937, 4to, illustrations, original black cloth, dust-jacket by Edward McKnight Kauffer. A FINE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION.

BETJEMAN, John (1906-84).  Continual Dew. A Little Book of Bourgeois Verse. London: John Murray, Albemarle Street, 1937. 4to (206 x 146mm). Half title, diagram of a tap on the title page, printed almost entirely on pale blue paper, illustrations and decorations by Hubert de Cronin Hastings, Osbert Lancaster and Gabriel Pippet, initials. Original black textured cloth with decorated lettering and metallic "hinge" design, gilt edges, dust-jacket by Edward McKnight Kauffer with the price of 7/6 unclipped. A FINE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION OF THE AUTHOR'S SECOND VOLUME OF POETRY which contains two of his most famous poems, "The Arrest of Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan Hotel" and (the contentious) "Slough". "The verse is nostalgic and designed for those who appreciate Sunday in a provincial town, the subtleties of high, low and broad churchmanship, gaslit London, bottle parties in the suburbs, civil servants on the hike, and half-timbered houses on the Southern Electric" (from the turn-in). Please note that the original dust-jacket has been photographed in its modern protective archival Mylar wrapper, thereby avoiding any risk of damage through its temporary removal. Peterson John Betjeman. A Bibliography (2006) A5a.