Ted Hughes | Autograph manuscript birth chart with a collection of 12 volumes on astrology

Ted Hughes

Autograph manuscript birth chart with a collection of 11 works in 12 volumes on astrology, mysticism, and the Kabbalah

i. Autograph manuscript birth chart, on page from lined exercise book (29.4 x 20.9mm), inscribed and dated "DI. 20-7-1950 | 11.50pm EXETER" at top of page, extensively annotated with manuscript tables and calculations, text, and wheel of the zodiac, brief annotation on verso in ballpoint, previously folded, small hole in wheel of the zodiac, browning and a few small nicks at extremities;

ii. Colin Evans. The New Waite's Compendium of Natal Astrology. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited, 1953. OWNERSHIP INSCRIPTION OF TED HUGHES TO FRONT PASTEDOWN ("E.G. Hughes"), 12mo (185 x 122mm.), planetary symbols in manuscript on pp. 11-12, p. 177 annotated ("ALL MIDDAY") at upper margin, a few minor annotations elsewhere, original green cloth, hinges splitting, lacking spine, binding soiled;   

iii. Colin Evans. The New Waite's Compendium of Natal Astrology. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited, 1971. 12mo (185 x 123mm.), annotation to p. 89, probably in Hughes' hand ("Emma | 9-57 | 11^th Jan"), original green cloth, a few leaves slightly dampstained, extremities slightly rubbed;

iv. [Ch'u Chai]. The I Ching or Book of Changes. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1960. PRESENTATION COPY, inscribed "To Ted: November '64 | With love from Ruth + Alan" [i.e. Ruth Fainlight and Alan Sillitoe], 8vo (220 x 145mm.), folding chart at end, original blue cloth, spotting to prelims, lower joint cracked, extremities rubbed;

v. Ch'u Chai. I Ching: Book of Changes. Translated by James Legge. New York: University Books, 1966. PRESENTATION COPY, SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY TED HUGHES TO HIS SISTER OLWYN ("To Olwyn | with love from Ted | Xmas 1967") on front free endpaper, 8vo (235 x 156mm.), further annotations on half-title, plate 1, and rear endpapers, probably in the hand of Olwyn Hughes, original yellow cloth, dampstaining at extremities, binding slightly worn and soiled;

vi. Gareth Knight. A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism. Somerset: Helios Book Service, 1965. OWNERSHIP INSCRIPTION OF TED HUGHES TO FRONT FREE ENDPAPERS, 2 volumes, 8vo (216 x 139mm.), phrases underlined in volume 1, chapter 3, original beige cloth, volume 2 with dust-jacket, dust-jacket frayed;

vii. Franz Bardon. The Key to the True Quabbalah. Wuppertal: Dieter Rüggeberg, 1971. 8vo (204 x 132mm.), OWNERSHIP INSCRIPTION OF TED HUGHES TO FRONT FREE ENDPAPER, original blue cloth, dust-jacket, dust-jacket chipped at extremities;

viii. Gershom G. Scholem. On The Kabbalah and Its Symbolism. Translated by Ralph Manheim. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1965. First edition, 8vo (230 x 152mm.), OWNERSHIP INSCRIPTION OF TED HUGHES TO FRONT FREE ENDPAPER, original black cloth, spine lettered in gilt, dust-jacket, spotting to prelims, dust-jacket soiled and frayed at extremities;

ix. W.Y. Evans-Wentz. The Tibetan Book of the Dead. London: Oxford University Press, 1957. 8vo (222 x 143mm.), OWNERSHIP INSCRIPTION OF TED HUGHES ON FRONT FREE ENDPAPER, a few marginal annotations and underlined phrases, original green cloth, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt, endleaves spotted, upper hinge splitting, extremities slightly rubbed; 

x. W.E. Butler. Magic and the Qabalah. Wellingborough: The Aquarian Press, 1978. First paperback edition, 8vo (214 x 137mm.), OWNERSHIP INSCRIPTION OF TED HUGHES ON FRONT FREE ENDPAPER, laminated paper wrappers;

xi. James Sturzaker. Kabbalistic Aphorisms. Madras: Theosophical Publishing House Ltd., 1971. 12mo (187 x 123mm.), OWNERSHIP INSCRIPTION OF TED HUGHES TO FRONT PASTEDOWN with accompanying semi-abstract floral design, annotations in Hughes' hand to pp. 10-18, 20-21, 26, 28-33, original blue cloth, foxing to endleaves, crease to upper cover, spine sunned;

xii. T.C. Lethbridge. Witches: Investigating an Ancient Religion. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1962. First edition, 8vo (217 x 142mm.), "Ted Hughes" inscribed on front free endpaper, with loosely inserted note explaining that this inscription is in Assia Wevill's hand, endleaves slightly spotted

 An intriguing birth chart and collection of esoteric books which together show how astrology, mysticism, and the occult occupied a central place in Hughes' life and poetic imagination. Hughes' interest in these subjects stemmed from his boyhood reading of W.B. Yeats, and, as Jonathan Bate has argued, the poet always "took astrology seriously", since it was a "way of giving order to the chaos of life" (Hughes: The Unauthorised Life, 2015).

The full personal significance of this birth chart remains shrouded in mystery. It was once tucked away in the leaves of the 1953 edition of New Waite's Compendium of Natal Astrology included in this lot, and we have been unable to identify "DI", perhaps the name of a friend or lover. Nonetheless, it may be seen as a companion to the British Library's bound notebook of astrological charts created by Hughes for various individuals (Add MS 88918/12/8). 

Amongst the collection of esoteric books is a copy of The I Ching or Book of Changes dedicated to Hughes in 1964 by his friends Ruth Fainlight and Alan Sillitoe, with whom Hughes would later collaborate on a private press edition of poems (Rainbow press, 1971). A later edition of the same work is inscribed to Hughes' sister Olwyn. Hughes' annotations to the copy of W.Y. Evans-Wentz's Tibetan Book of the Dead (an English translation of the Bardo Thödol) plausibly date from the time of the poet's collaboration with Chinese American composer Chou Wen-chung on an ultimately unrealised operatic production of the Bardo.

PROVENANCE

Bonhams Knightsbridge, 21 March 2018, lot 373