Le Sage — Aventuras de Gil Blas de Santillana

Burdeos, Pedro Beaume, 1804. Leather. An uncommon Spanish translation of famous French picaresque novel Gil Blas. Bound in half leather and marbled paper-covered boards, with gilt lettering and decoration. Complete in Four Volumes. Four Volumes bound as Two. In Spanish. With the armorial nameplate of Samuel Edward Cook on the front pastedowns. With a Graham of Alnwick bookbinder's label to the front pastedown of Volume I. COPAC suggests that this work was translated by Jose Francisco de Isla. Gil Blas is considered to be the last masterpiece of the picaresque genre. Gil Blas is related to Lesage's play Turcaret. In both works, Lesage uses witty valets in the service of thieving masters, women of questionable morals, cuckolded yet happy husbands, gourmands, ridiculous poets, false savants, and dangerously ignorant doctors to make his point. José Francisco de Isla, 1703 – 1781, was a Spanish Jesuit, celebrated as a preacher and a humorist and satirist of the stamp of Cervantes. Samuel Edward Widdrington (formerly Cook), 1787 - 1856, was an English writer on Spain. Having served in the Royal Navy he lived for some years in Spain. He served as High Sheriff of Northumberland in 1854. He was a fellow of the Royal Society, and the Royal Geographical Society. Bound in half leather and marbled paper-covered boards, with gilt lettering and decoration. There is some wear to the extremities, including some rubbing. The front hinge of volume 1 is just starting but still firm. The front inner hinge of volume 1 is strained. The bindings are tight and firm. Internally the pages are generally clean and bright with slight foxing and marks to the first few pages. There are marginal discoloured tidemarks to the first 17 leaves of volume 2, including loss to the half title and title page, that do not affect the text. Good Only . Ill.: None. Good Only .