The adventure of gil blas, of santillane. Translated from the french of le sage, by t. smollett.
London.
Printed for J. Mawman, 1819.
8vo.
In three volumes. xi, [1], 388; vii, [1], 375, [1]; viii, 398pp. With an engraved frontispiece to Vol. I and a further 28 engraved plates. Contemporary gilt-tooled diced calf, contrasting black morocco lettering-pieces, marbled edges. Lightly rubbed and marked. Marbled endpapers, ticket of London-based booksellers Bowdery & Kerby to FEP of Vol. I, scattered spotting, offsetting.
Alain-René Lesage's (1668-1747) picaresque novel Gil Blas, in its most notable translation by Scottish picaresque writer Tobias Smollett (bap. 1721, d. 1771). The novel follows the life of the eponymous protagonist, born into poverty, who becomes a valet, and eventually ends up serving in the royal court, ending life in prosperity and comfort. Highly popular in its day, the novel is mentioned in the works of Rousseau, Sartre and Dostoevsky.
£ 100.00
Antiquates Ref: 33042