[Star Spangled Banner] [Key, Francis Scott]:

DEFENCE OF FORT McHENRY. [in] ANALECTIC MAGAZINE. FOR NOVEMBER, 1814. VOL. IV. NEW SERIES.

[Philadelphia: 1814]. Single issue, disbound. Pages [353] - [440]. Moderately foxed or browned. Good+.

This is the first magazine appearance of the National Anthem [pages 433-434]. It is titled, 'Defence of Fort McHenry.' BAL notes six previous newspaper publications in October 1814. Like this Analectic printing, none of them includes the author's name.
This printing is also famous for the editor's oft-quoted anecdotal introduction: "These lines have been already published in several of our newspapers; they may still, however, be new to many of our readers. Besides, we think that their merit entitles them to preservation in some more permanent form than the columns of a daily paper." The editor describes the "circumstances" under which the song was composed. "He watched the flag at the fort through the whole day with an anxiety that can be better felt than described... In the night he watched the bomb-shells, and at early dawn his eye was greeted by the proudly-waving flag of his country."
BAL 11081, Section One G. Sabin 1358. Item #35872

Price: $1,250.00