Endpages of Brennan's copy of "The Book of Jade"

Joseph Payne Brennan

David Park Barnitz, the author of this book, was born In Wheeling, West Virginia, June 24, 1878, the son of Rev. S. B. Barnitz. He attended schools In Des Moines, Iowa, Midland College at Atchison, Kansas and Harvard University. He was a student of Sanskrit and a member of the American Oriental Society. Little is known of the more intimate facts of his life. He died suddenly of a heart attack on October 10, 1901, only a few weeks after the publication of "The Book of Jade". He was twenty-three years old.

A few further details of his life may be found in copy number thirteen of "The Book of Jade" which Is stored In the Sterling Memorial Library at Yale University. This copy also contains two brief letters to his publisher signed "Park Barnitz", an excellent photograph, death notices and an unpublished poem entitled "Danse Macabre" which was apparently clipped from proof sheets. There are a number of marginal notations signed with the Initials "H. V. S." —probably the publisher.

This book, number 146, is the personal copy of another minor poet, Joseph Payne Brennan, and was acquired on October 10, 1947, the anniversary of David Park Barnitz' death. These lines were written on that date also.

Joseph Payne Brennan
October 10, 1947