The Story of Doctor Dolittle [together with] A page of the original manuscript for Doctor Dolittle and the Secret Lake [and] TLS.

'but I like animals better than the best people'

First edition of the first Doctor Dolittle book, together with a page of original manuscript, and typed letter signed by the author.

The manuscript is the first page of 'The End of a Dream', chapter 5 in part one of Doctor Dolittle and the Secret Lake, in which the doctor gives up his dream of lengthening human life. The book was published posthumously in 1948.

Loosely inserted is 1pp TLS to one Benjamin Weil in its original envelope, dated January 24th 1930, in which Lofting talks about his books: 'It was very kind of you to write and tell me you like my books. I am very busy writing a new one now but it is not about Doctor Dolittle. I hope you will like it as well as the stories about him. Maybe there will be a new book about Doctor Dolittle next year.'

First edition, first printing, with 1pp of original manuscript, together with 1pp TLS; 8vo; illustrations by the author, including colour frontispiece, near-contemporary ownership inscription to front free endpaper; publisher's orange cloth, titles to spine in blue, titles and border decoration to upper cover in blue with duplicate of colour frontpiece laid on, titles to spine rubbed, light rubbing to extremities, else very good.