Author: LESAGE, ALAIN-RENE; TOBIAS GEORGE SMOLLETT (TRANS)
Title: The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane (Two Volumes, Complete)
Description: London: Effingham Wilson, 1833. First Edition Thus. First Printing. Leather. Illustrated by George Cruikshank. Magnificent half burgundy leather over silk boards, bound by Bayntun of Bath; spines in six compartments separated by raised bands, gilt lettering in two compartments, gilt tooling and borders in remainder, gilt borders on covers, a.e.g, marbled endpapers. Illustrated with 12 engravings by George Cruikshank. Translated from the French of Le Sage by T. Smollett, M.D, to which is Prefixed a Memoir of the Author by Thomas Roscoe. Gil Blas ("L'Histoire de Gil Blas de Santillane" is a picaresque novel by Alain-René Lesage published between 1715 and 1735. It is often considered to be the last masterpiece of the picaresque genre. This is the first edition of Gil Blas with the illustrations by George Cruikshank. The picaresque novel is a popular subgenre of prose fiction which might sometimes be satirical and depicts, in realistic and often humorous detail, the adventures of a roguish hero of low social class who lives by his wits in a corrupt society. This style of novel originated in 16th-century Spain and flourished throughout Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. It continues to influence modern literature. Alain-René Lesage (1668-1747) was a French novelist and playwright best known for his comic novel "The Devil upon Two Sticks" (1707), his comedy "Turcaret" (1709), and his picaresque novel Gil Blas (1715–1735). Lesage influenced many contemporary and later writers, including Charles Dickens, Jonathan Swift, Mark Twain, Wilkie Collins, and Edgar Allan Poe. Tobias George Smollett (1721-1771) was a Scottish poet and author. He was best known for his picaresque novels, such as The "Adventures of Roderick Random" (1748) and "The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle" (1751), which influenced later novelists such as Charles Dickens. The illustrator, George Cruikshank (1792-1878), was a British caricaturist and book illustrator, praised as the "modern Hogarth" during his life. His book illustrations for his friend Charles Dickens, and many other authors, reached an international audience. Beautifully bound set in virtually perfect condition, unmarked, unread, tight, square, and clean, with only the slightest shelf-wear. A very handsome set. FINE. Engravings. 12mo 7" - 7½" tall. xxvi, 418; xii, 420 pp. Fine with No dust jacket as issued .

Keywords: Literature; Novels; Fiction; Picaresque Fine Binding Illustrated Books Fiction Rare, Antiquarian, and Collectible Books


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