THOREAU, Henry David (1817-1862). The Writings of Henry David Thoreau.Boston: Houghton Mifflin and Company, 1906. 20 volumes. 8vo. Original 2 page manuscript leaf tipped into first volume. Original linen-weave cloth with paper spine labels. Condition: hinges weak on a few volumes; spines evenly faded, scattered fraying at spine ends, some chipping to labels. "...a soil everywhere invigorative, everywhere productive - these are the wealths of america." The story of the dispersal of Thoreau's manuscripts still continues to cause controversy today. The leaves used by Houghton Mifflin was a portion of a group sold to New York dealer GS Hellman by an estate executor, Elias Russell. Many sets are now lacking the leaf. number 210 of 600 copies only of the manuscript edition, with an original leaf from thoreau's notebook, later used in his essay "on walking."