The First Violin

Title: The First Violin, Vol. II
Genre: Fiction
Author: Jessie Fothergill (1851-1891)
Illustrator: George W. Brenneman (1856-1906)
Publisher: Brentano's, Press of J. J. Little & Co., Astor Place, New York
Year: 1896 (reprint of novel originally published in 1878)
Pages: 276
Format: Hardback with linen cover
Provenance: "G. C. Rubel From A. E. H." written in ink on the first page
Opening Sentence: "Our merry Zauberfest of Christmas eve was over."
Random Passage: "At last the door opened, and Sigmund came out alone. God help us all! It is terrible to see such an expression upon a small child's face. White and set and worn as if with years of suffering was the beautiful little face."
Notes: The Last Violin was apparently quite popular in Victorian reading parlors, a success for the relatively young (20s) British novelist Fothergill. The book still has its fans amongst Victorian novel junkies. Many of artist G. W. Brenneman's goth-eriffic illustrations from this otherwise water-damaged book are included below.