LA FONTAINE (Jean de). La Fontaine's Fables, now first trans - Lot 196

LA FONTAINE (Jean de). La Fontaine's Fables, now first translated from the French by Robert Thomson. Paris, Théophile Barrois, 1806. 4 volumes in a small in-8 format. Pebbled and stained havana calf, smooth spine richly decorated with gilt caissons and fleurons alternating with triple gilt fillets, gilt title, gilt roulette (oak motif) framing the boards and flap, gilt edges. Rare French edition of the English translation, in an attractive contemporary English binding. There are a priori 3 known issues at different addresses in the same year, 1806, of this first translation of the Fables and, while it is difficult to say here which was the princeps, ours (by Barrois) is definitely the least common (no copy in the CCFr). Illustrated with 16 handsome etchings in black, engraved by Joseph Perdoux with autographed verses, including the frontispieces of volumes 1, 3 and 4. Robert Thomson is considered to be the first true English translator of the Fables, which had only been partially or poorly attempted in Shakespeare's language, which he regretted while admitting the difficulty of translation: "I have heard gentlemen insist that only a La Fontaine could translate La Fontaine...." but he really wanted to translate this text "locked up in its own language (...) (for) I see nothing but a totally misunderstood, mutilated or murdered La Fontaine" (preface to the Chenu edition). Vol. I. [3] f. (frontis., fx-title and title), 105-[3] p., 3 pl. - Vol. II. [2] f. (fx-title and title), 139 p., 4 pl. - Vol. III. [3] f. (frontis., fx-title and title), 147 p., 3 pl. - Vol. IV. [3] f. (frontis., fx-title and title), 128 p., 3 pl. Slightly rubbed boards and spines, dull corners, anecdotal stains, but a fine copy.