Two Lost on Dartmoor

Elizabeth Sprigge wrote several children’s books. As far as I have been able to work out, only two of them are pony books. Both were published by Eyre & Spottiswoode. Pony Tracks was illustrated by Lionel Edwards, and he does his usual excellent job.

Elizabeth Sprigge was a linguist: she spoke at least three languages, and translated several Swedish works, including those of the Swedish dramatist August Strindberg, as well as works in French (Jean Cocteau), and German. She is probably best known now for her biographies. She wrote on Gertrude Stein, which proved to be contentious. Alice B Toklas, though initially happy that Elizabeth Sprigge was writing the biography, very soon changed her mind when she found out that Elizabeth Sprigge wanted to include personal details as well as information on Stein’s works. Sprigge, she said, would produce a biography that was 'vulgar and mistaken.' Nevertheless, the biography was completed, although reviews for it were mixed.

Finding the books
Pony Tracks is reasonably easy to find, but very difficult indeed to find with its dustjacket. Two Lost on Dartmoor is harder to find, but again, doesn’t tend to have survived with its dustjacket.

Sources
Linda Simon: The Biography of Alice B Toklas