THE MYSTERIES OF PARIS; From the French of M. Eugène Sue. By J. D. Smith, Esq. Illustrated with Nineteen Engravings on Steel. Designed and Executed by T. Onwhyn, Esq. London: D. N. Carvalho, 147, Fleet Street, MDCCCXLIV [1844]. Octavo, three volumes: pp. [1-4] [1] 2-334; [1-4] [1] 2-336; [1-4] [1] 2-296, all three half titles present, nineteen inserted plates with illustrations by Onwhyn, nineteenth-century three-quarter brown pebbled calf and burgundy cloth, elaborate gold tooling to spine panels, t.e.g., burgundy silk cloth endpapers. First British edition. LES MYSTÈRES DE PARIS was published serially in 90 parts in JOURNAL DES DÉBATS from 19 June 1842 until 15 October 1843. It was an instant success and gave rise to the "city mysteries" genre, spawning many imitations. "Sue’s THE MYSTERIES OF PARIS not only influenced LES MISERABLES, it also gave rise to a subgenre of Gothicky novels about the dark underside of big cities, including London, New Orleans and Philadelphia (George Lippard’s notorious THE QUAKER CITY). Aristocrats with secrets, a prostitute with a heart of gold, criminals nicknamed the Schoolmaster and the She-Wolf, an evil lawyer, thwarted love, blackmail and conspiracy --- this is a sprawling novel that packs in everything and then adds more" (Michael Dirda, The Washington Post). The first two translations into English were published in the United States in 1843, one by Charles H. Town (for Harper & Brothers) and another by Henry C. Deming (for J. Winchester's New World). The Town translation was republished in England under different names, such as "Charles Rochford" (for Charles Daly, 1844) and "J. D. Smith" (for D. N. Carvalho, 1844). Sadleir 3155. Not in Wolff. Leather refurbished, margins of plates darkened, a very good copy. This edition, preceding the 1845 Chapman and Hall "authorized" edition is scarce. Enclosed in a custom cloth clamshell box with leather spine label. (#170007).
Price: $7,500.00
No statement of printing.