Manners..
Bound in original calf, sometime rebacked reusing original spine, in compartments with raised bands and contrasting maroon title label, gilt. Extremities worn. Worming on upper right corner, diminishing in size from front to near back, without affecting text. Early inscription of Helena Fronceau appears on front pastedown and verso of first free endpaper; of Phebe Fronceau on last free endpaper and initials by imprint.
£150.00
Details
TITLE BANNED IN FRANCE
Publisher
Printed for W. Owen, at Temple Bar; W. Johnston, in St Paul's Church-Yard; and J. Payne, in Pater-noster Row.,
Place
London
Date
1752
Synopsis
Translated from the french. the third edition.
Item Description
12mo. 4.25 x 6.75 inches. [18] + vi + 251 pp. + [3] pp. publisher's advertisements.
Illustrations
Decorated by title page and tailpiece vignettes.
Notes
The dedication is signed Panages but the author is known to be François-Vincent Toussaint (1715-1772), a French writer living and working in Paris who contributed to the first volumes of L'Encyclopédie. This treatise, partly in the format of a novel was first published as Les Moeurs in 1748 and caused an immediate scandal, because it was assumed that one of the characters depicted the queen, hence becoming an immediate best seller. In 1758 the enemies of the Enlightenment managed to have the book banned and destroyed because it was alleged that it could lead to regicide. Toussaint fled abroad and later settled in Prussia. The first English edition soon appeared in 1749. This third edition is scarce and ESTC records UK copies only in the British Library and at Oxford with five more in North America.
[Stock No. 22273]
Subjects
18th Century • Art / Literature • France • French • Lit. Fiction