The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane (1818)
Description
The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane (1818)
by Alain-Rene Le Sage
Full Title: The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane. Translated from the French of Le Sage, by T. Smollett, M.D. : To Which Are Prefixed, Memoirs of The Author.
5 ¼ x 3. In English. Published by J. Walker, London, 1818. Walker’s Miniature Edition. In Two Volumes. First Volume, 429 pp. with a three-page advert in rear; Second, with 432 pp. Verified complete via WorldCat. Black, half calf over marbled boards with moderate shelf wear. Three raised bands to both volumes with elaborate gilt throughout spine compartments. Spine head and tail in strong condition with some slight bumping to the boards’ corners. Edges show some wear. Marbled pastedowns and end papers. Title page along the text block with some slight toning, but otherwise rather bright. Very attractive, etched frontis. Previous owner’s simple bookplate on front pastedown of both volumes. Considered one of literature’s first realistic novels. Though widely reprinted, this “miniature edition” is in VERY GOOD condition and VERY SCARCE in commerce.
First published in four volumes, the first two in 1715, the third in 1724, and the fourth in 1735, Edgar Allan Poe considered Le Sage’s “The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane” among "the finest narratives in the world.” A picaresque, French 18th Century novel recounts the education and swashbuckling adventures of an adaptable young valet as he progresses from one master to the next, making his way from naive youth to cunning servant to landed proprietor and nobleman – with a stint in jail, bereavements, and fits of remorse along the way. Finally, our hero learns compassion and achieves tranquility in a life in the country. (The image of the author we included on our website is NOT in the book.)
Price: $175
Shipping: FREE via USPS Media Mail
Inventory Number: 27065
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