An Arabian Tale, from an unpublished Manuscript. With Notes critical and explanatory. A new Edition.
Published by London, Printed for W. Clarke 1809., 1809
- First Edition
- Hardcover
- Used
Seller: Bernard Quaritch Ltd ABA ILAB, London, United KingdomBernard Quaritch Ltd ABA ILAB
AbeBooks seller since June 30, 1998
Association member: ABAPBFAILAB
View this seller's itemsCondition: Used
£ 1,500.00
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
8vo, pp. vii, [1], 334; the occasional mark, a few leaves slightly spotted, small marginal loss to title-page; but a very good copy, top-edge gilt, fore- and tail-edge uncut, in late nineteenth-century half brown morocco; bookplates of Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Bliss of Dumbarton Oaks to front pastedown.Scarce second edition – in fact a reissue comprising the remainder sheets of the first edition of 1786 with a cancel title-page (printed by S. Gosnell) – of Henley's English translation of Beckford's Gothic masterpiece, first published against the author's wishes and predating publication of the French original. Beckford wrote Vathek in French in 1782, completing the first draft in 'three days and two nights' in January, following a 'voluptuous' Christmas house party at Fonthill where the trappings of an Egyptian Hall with its 'infinitely varied apartments' provided inspiration for the Halls of Eblis. By May the novel was finished. Beckford encouraged first his tutor John Lettice and then his friend the Rev. Samuel Henley to prepare a version in English, but expressly forbade publication before the French text appeared. Henley nonetheless sent his translation to the press, and when it appeared in 1786 it was obvious that he had compounded his disobedience by implying that Vathek was translated from an Arabic source, with no mention of the author. Beckford, who was in Lausanne, was furious. He 'retaliated as best he could', hastily publishing the French original 'from a manuscript which he must have had with him, in a slightly earlier state than that translated by Henley' (Roger Lonsdale, citing the textual studies of Professor André Parreaux, who disproved the old theory that the Lausanne edition was retranslated from the English). Despite continuing close attentions to Vathek in French, Beckford produced no English version himself, although he finally consented to make some corrections to the third edition of Henley's translation. 'One can only assume that, failing satisfaction from Henley, Thomas Wildman, Beckford's solicitor, attacked Johnson the publisher, and at least secured for his client the balance of the [unsold sheets of the] original edition' (Chapman & Hodgkin). This explains the relative scarcity of this reissue: OCLC and Library Hub together record fourteen copies, at Yale, Georgetown, Northwestern, Southern Illinois, NYU, Columbia, Kentucky, UCLA, St Louis, McMaster, Toronto, Aberdeen, Cambridge, and the British Library. Provenance: With the bookplates of Mildred Bliss (née Barnes) and her husband, the diplomat, philanthropist, and art collector Robert Woods Bliss (1875–1962); the Blisses resided at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C., where they established the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, which they gave to Harvard in 1940. Chapman & Hodgkin 3(A)(ii). Language: English.…
Seller Inventory # E5814
Bibliographic details
- Title
- An Arabian Tale, from an unpublished Manuscript. With Notes critical and explanatory. A new Edition.
- Author
- [BECKFORD, William, and Samuel HENLEY, translator.]
- Publisher
- London, Printed for W. Clarke 1809.
- Publication year
- 1809
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Edition
- 1st Edition
Bernard Quaritch Ltd ABA ILAB
London, United Kingdom
Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
| Item | 5 to 7 business days | 3 to 5 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 32.00 | £ 60.00 |
Payment methods
- Bank Draft
- Bank Wire Transfer
Store description
Rare Books & Manuscripts, since 1847. Art & Architecture, Early Printing, Economics, English & European Literature, Human Sciences, Islamic World, Law, Manuscripts, Music, Natural History, Philosophy, Photography, Politics, Science & Medicine, Travel. Archives, valuations, & auction commissions. Catalogues issued regularly.
Specialty
English Literature, Foreign Literature, Manuscripts, Travel, Science, Continental, Human Sciences, Art, Antiquarian Books, IslamicAssociation member
Seller's business information
Bernard Quaritch Ltd ABA ILAB
36 Bedford Row
London, United Kingdom WC1R 4JH
Terms of sale
Bernard Quaritch Ltd
36 Bedford Row
London WC1R 4JH
+44(0) 207 297 4888 rarebooks@quaritch.com
Registered in England No. 5192459 at 36 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4JH
VAT Number: GB322454331
Payment can be made by VISA, M/C or bank draft.
Right of withdrawal
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to Bernard Quaritch Ltd ABA ILAB, London, United Kingdom, +44 020 7297 4888, without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
- The delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
- The supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not withdraw once delivery had started.
Shipping terms
Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.
Customers outside the UK should be aware that books over 50 years old with a value exceeding £65,000, photographs over 50 years old with a value exceeding £10,000, and all manuscript items or archives over 50 years old require an export licence to leave the UK, which may take around four weeks to be granted. Delivery cannot be made until the licence is granted. If your item requires an export licence we will contact you directly to discuss shipping turnaround times.