DYKE, HENRY VAN (1852 - 1933)
The mansion

Harper & Brothers Publishers, New York / London. 1911. Later printing (appr. 1912). Date code C-G. Hardcover. Green cloth with blindstamped floral ornament. Decorative title lettering in gilt to cover and spine. Attractive colored pictorial panel on paper mounted to the top third of the front board showing a man in a purple robe with arms outstretched in front of an island.

62 pp. 11,25 x 17,75 x 1,5 cm. 148 gr. Grayscale frontispiece and 5 pen and ink drawing by Elizabeth Shippen Green. Christian themes, Christmas.


Henry van Dyke (1852-1933) was the son of a prominent Presbyterian minister who instilled in him as a child the ability to love and to find peace in nature. Henry van Dyke was an American clergyman, educator, and author. Henry studied theology and English literature at Princeton University before accepting a position as the pastor of the Brick Presbyterian Church of New York City in 1883. He gained wide popularity at this post for his energetic and compassionate style, and is particularly remembered for heading up a committee that in 1906 produced "The Book of Common Worship" of the Presbyterian Church. As President Wilson's ambassador to the Netherlands from 1913, Van Dyke was a first-hand witness to the outbreak of World War I and its progress, and was a key player in the President's diplomatic efforts to keep the U.S. out of the conflict. He wrote numerous books of poetry and devotion, including Little Rivers (1895), The Other Wise Man (1896), and Fishermans Luck (1899). He produced over fifty books of stories, essays and verse, including several Christmas stories."The Mansion" tells the story of John Weightman, a rich man who sees heaven in a dream and is dismayed to see only a small shanty prepared for him. Sympathy, self-sacrifice and compassion are the overlying themes of this entertaining, easy-to-read story, a wonderful book that sets forth the century-old ideals of kindness, sympathy, and self-sacrifice. The message on charity presented in this book reminds us of the true spirit of giving, making it a "must read" every Christmas right along with Charles Dicken's Christmas Carol. If every young person in the world were to grow into maturity believing in, and practicing, the ideals set forward in "The Mansion," much of sorrow would disappear; violence, civil disorder, and war would be almost impossible, and a new era would be ushered in. An example of the beautifully written prose in this book would be Van Dyke's answer to the question "What Counts? That which is truly given; Only that good that is done for the love of doing it; Only those plans in which the welfare of others is the master thought; Only those labors in which the sacrifice was greater than the reward. And only those gifts in which the giver forgets himself" This insight is the undergirding theme of "The Mansion," in which Van Dyke managed to blend a wealth of knowledge on how we are able to grow from acts of charity, with an entertaining novel, all in a few pages. In this rarely read fable, Van Dyke explores the meaning of charity and genuine goodness when it comes to leading a good religious life. John Weightman believed firmly in his proper accounting of life. But, on Christmas Eve, when his son rages against the wisdom of prospering at the cost of one's soul, John questions the laws that have guided him to money and influence. Van Dyke's exhortation against materialism rings as true now as it ever has, encouraging all readers to examine the meaning of their own lives.

"There was an air of calm and reserved opulence about the Weightman mansion that spoke not of money squandered, but of wealth prudently applied. Standing on a corner of the Avenue no longer fashionable for residence, it looked upon the swelling tide of business with an expression of compacency and half-disdain." As so begins this story. John Weightman wanted the best of everything. He surrounded himself with beauty and riches, and was very careful with how he spent his money. No pennies in beggars hats, he liked to say. Until one night he dreamed that he died . . .Finding himself with a group of travelers dressed in white, John joins them on their journey to the Celestial City where each individual will be rewarded with a mansion based on treasures set aside. Thinking that his mansion will be the most grand, John Weightman learns what it truly means to lay up treasures in heaven. The Mansion is a classic tale told at Christmastime that illustrates the importance of giving unselfishly.

The gilt on the spine is fading. All of the internal pages are uncreased and tightly bound. Endpapers slightly discoloured. Slightly bumped corners. Top and tail of spine slightly rubbed. Previous owner's name and date written on flyleaf. Gift inscription on the inside front page. The pages of this book are clean and unmarked but are tanned due to age. Very fine copy with no dust jacket (as issued).


Booknumber: 11865