321 - BLANCHET (Abbé François)

BLANCHET (Abbé François) Apologues et Contes Orientaux, etc. By the author of Variétés Morales et Amusantes. Paris, Debure fils ainé, 1784. In-8 (21 x 13 cm), [2] ff, lvj-285 pp, green half-maroquin, smooth spine decorated (early 19th c. binding). Ex-libris in ink: Dubary 1812. Edges and corners worn, slight soiling. Posthumous first edition, preceded by a note on the author's life, composed by Jean Dusaulx and adorned with a title vignette, headband and in-t. vignettes. These are adaptations of oriental or Spanish fables in a pleasing presentation. One of the sources for Beckford's Vathek. 16 Oriental Apologues, 9 Oriental Tales : Hamet et Raschid conte indien, Moyen de ressusciter les morts conte persan, le Paradis de Schedad conte arabe, Barkouf et Mani conte chinois, Almamolin conte tartare, Les dix jours de l'empereur Séged, conte éthiopien, Les Oiseaux de la montagne de Caf conte arabe, le Doyen de Badajoz conte moral espagnol; 14 anecdotes, Maximes et proverbes orientaux, italiens espagnols and 2 Histoires tirées de Tite-Live et Tacite.