Francois Genard — The School of Man

Dublin, Lockyer Davis, 1753. First edition. Leather. A popular pseudo-courtesy book by Francois Genard. Translated from the French This is the first Dublin edition of this book. To which is prefixed a key to the satyrical characters interspersed in the work. Popular pseudo-courtesy book by Francois Genard. One of the most interesting aspects of the work is the satire upon contemporary characters revealed by the 'key', and including Charles Edward Stuart [Tartus], King Louis XIV [Augustus], abd Voltaire [Terona]. For its controversial content the author was imprisoned in the Bastille. Genard's work became extremely popular and was republished several times in French between 1752 and 1755. An English translation, The School of Man, a Moral, Critical and Anecdotal Work appeared in 1753 and ran to at least five editions. Genard also wrote a companion volume L'Ecole de la Femme, translated into English as The School of Woman: or, memoirs of Constantia. Full calf leather binding with gilt detailing. There is some wear to the extremities, including some chips to the top and tail of the spine. The corners of the boards are also bumped and chipped, and the front outer hinge is beginning to crack.The front and rear inner hinges are strained but holding. The binding is tight and firm and both covers are attached. Internally the book is clean and bright apart from some isolated spots and handling marks. There is a copperplate signature to the first front blank end paper, to the preface and to page 1 of the text. Sadly the title page is detached and missing. The last page of the index is also torn with loss that does affect the text. Good . Ill.: None. Good .