Galatea - Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian - 1804 First Edition in English - $250

FLORIAN, Jeah-Pierre Claris de. Galatea: A Pastoral Romance. Translated by Miss [Harriet] Highley. 

London: S. Highley, 1804. First Edition. Octavo (7.25" x 4.75"); 167pp, complete with three plates and three pages of ads at back. Three-quarter green leather and marbled paper with gilt lettering and decoration to spine. Boards show a good bit of rubbing/bumping along edges and overall scuffing, with some tugging to head and tail of spine. University of Texas Library stamp on front pastedown and twice internally, but no other library marks, cards, or additions. Splits just starting at front and back hinges, but binding is holding soundly. Pages toned a bit with some light offsetting opposite frontis and some foxing to final plate, but no writing or markings.

First publication in English of Florian's 1788 condensation and completion of Miguel de Cervantes's first published work, La Galatea, whose sequel Cervantes promised but never wrote. Florian shortens Cervantes's six books down to three, adding a few scenes and a concluding fourth book of his own contrivance. The result (and Ms. Highley's translation) was favorably reviewed in the May 1804 edition of The Monthly Mirror. No other copies available for sale online at the time of writing.

$250
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