Restif de La Bretonne, La decouverte australe, Leipzig, [1781], 2 volumes, later red morocco gilt

[RESTIF DE LA BRETONNE, NICOLAS-EDME]

La decouverte australe par un homme-volant, ou Le Dédale français... suivie de la Lettre d'un singe, &ca. Leipzig, to be sold at Paris, 1781 [date on half-title]

4 volumes in 2, 12mo (159 x 90mm.), half-title, 4 engraved frontispieces (1 folding), woodcut headpiece, 19 engraved plates, later red morocco gilt by Riviere with the arms of Michael Sandys, 5th Baron Sandys, gilt edges, lacking all after p.334 in volume IV

FIRST EDITION, second issue, of Restif de La Bretonne's curious utopian and satirical novel, set in the mostly uncharted southern hemisphere. The hero of the story employs a flying machine (this is two years before Montgolfier's balloon flight) to carry off a nobleman's daughter and they establish a utopian community. They subsequently explore the southern continent using various flying machines, which are depicted in the plates; this is one of the earliest illustrated science fiction novels, with plates depicting the fantastical forms of humans encountered in the continent (including elephant.mes n, dog men, and monkey men). They also encounter Captain Cook on his travels.

The volumes also contain other satirical works by Restif. Volume IV ends at page 334; the subsequent text, containing five satirical diatribes, had to be suppressed. This copy also lacks the table of contents and list of works by Restif which followed the diatribes. At the end of volume III, pages 16-17 of the Avis de l'éditeur have also been removed and the leaves reprinted without those pages.

LITERATURE:

Cohen-De Ricci 877; Jacob, Restif XXIV

PROVENANCE:

Robson & Kerslake, bookseller's ticket; Michael Sandys (1855-1948), 5th Baron Sandys of Ombersley, arms on binding