Lot 251: Albert Schweitzer

Remarkable archive of unpublished material relating to Schweitzer and a proposed book called A Jungle Chronicle, all unsigned, including: a typed and heavily edited manuscript; a typed manuscript of a possible final draft; a mock-up of art for the dust jacket; 100 captioned glossy photographs; and 17 letters by one of Schweitzer's nurses, Gloria Coolidge.The typed draft manuscript is 317 unbound pages, 8.5 x 11, with a title page reading: "A Jungle Chronicle by Albert Schweitzer and his associates, Translated and edited with an introduction by Charles R. Joy. Boston, The Beacon Press, 1952." The lengthy draft contains 34 chapters by various contributors, including 18 by Schweitzer and six by Coolidge, and is heavily edited and hand-corrected throughout by Joy. Chapter titles include: "Famine, Dysentery and a New Hospital," "A Medical Journey in the Jungle and the Steppe," "The Plantation and Hospital in 1933," "Life and Death at Lambarene," "Wild Beasts and Tropical Diseases," and "Doctor Schweitzer."The second typed manuscript is 380 unbound carbon pages, 8.5 x 11, with an identical title page. The text incorporates the corrections penned throughout the draft manuscript, and was possibly intended as a final version for publication.The 100 photos measure 8 x 8 and are affixed to larger pages with typed captions, and depict a variety of aspects of life in Lambarene, including many of Schweitzer himself, the grounds of the hospital, wildlife, local children and adults, patients at the hospital, and medical personnel. The cover art mock-up uses a similar 7 x 9.5 photo of the grounds, with the title and authorship information hand-painted in white.The exceptional collection of 17 letters are from Gloria Coolidge to Charles R. Joy, dated between 1949 to 1952, totaling 45 pages; included with these are typescripts of four prospective chapters for the book and retained carbons of some of Joy's replies. Some of the letters are written from Schweitzer's home in Gunsbach, Alsace, and most mention Dr. Schweitzer. A letter of April 9, 1949, in part: "Dr. Schweitzer is of course tired after his past nine, strenuous years in Lambaréné, and yet he allows himself, as ever, far too little rest. Madame Martin and I are a little worried about his trip to America knowing how over-talkative or time-consuming visitors fatigue him with their conversations when they ought to be quiet. Though he does not let it be known I am sure that such distractions are especially hard on someone whose mind is absorbed frequently in philosophie and scientific thought. When he asks me occasionally to walk a ways down the road with him, I make a point of not talking at all as I know how much a relief it is to him. I hope his special friends who will be with him in America will help in warding off imposing admirers and some of the reporters and photographers whom he has a genuine dislike for though he is much too polite to them." Another, in part: "A little while ago at the breakfast table he told us a story I thought you might like. There was evidently a steam shovel here on the main road somewhere. A young woman looking at it expressed her amazement that such a remarkable machine could exist." In overall very good to fine condition. Joy was a prominent Unitarian minister who became widely known for his translations of Schweitzer's works, publishing eight different books either by or about him. Joy was also involved with the Unitarian Service Committee, and helped to provide funding to save Schweitzer's hospital in 1946 while it was on the verge of closing. A fascinating archive of unpublished material.

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