AN AVATAR OF DON QUIXOTE - Lot 103

AN AVATAR OF DON QUIXOTE Madame d'USSIEUX. THE NEW DON QUIXOTE. A Bouillon, Imprimerie de Société Typographique, 1770. Four parts with title and separate paginations in an in-8 volume (3 ff, 146 pp, 1 f // 2 ff, 128 pp, 1 f // 2 ff, 101 pp, 1 f // 132 pp, 1 f), full rooted tawny calf, ornate ribbed spine, red edges (Binding of the period). A fine copy, despite two dull corners. First edition of this imitation of M. Wieland's German. It is, in fact, more of an adaptation than a translation. Palau, 375159: El arreglador parece que es Louis d'Ussieux y no Mme. Bardon (Don Quichotte en France) pp 614-619: "This novel takes us into a world of fantasy. No landscape is described, no environment observed. On the contrary, implausibility is perpetual... Wieland and Mme d'Ussieux wanted to discredit fairy tales. The madness of their heroes (Silvio and his valet Pedrillo) is ridiculous enough to make a mockery of the fantastic inventions Silvio has allowed himself to be possessed by... a sort of decalque: where we are presented with a new Don Quixote... " As you can see, this is a pale copy of Cervantes' hero, where it's not the Romans de Chevalerie that have clouded his brain, but Fairy Tales!