THE ADVENTURES OF TELEMACHUS; THE SON OF ULYSSES

Translated from the French of the Archbishop of Cambray. [4], 372, [4]. Two volumes in one. Hardcover.

A fair copy of the Boston-based franco-american publisher, translator and Harvard professor Joseph Nancrede's edition of this french moral tale. In addition to the translation, Nancrede included a letter from himself to "The American youth of both sexes" in which he claims this to be the first American edition in english of Fenelon's work, however this same letter is bound in a separate bilingual edition printed by Nancrede in the same year. That edition, another bilingual edition edited by Nancrede and published in Philadelphia, and a third bilingual edition of a different translation published in New York by David Longworth, all printed in 1797, complicate Nancrede's claim to this being the first American edition. This copy is bound in a likely contemporary full sheepskin leather binding. There is a tear to the leather on the front board as is common with sheepskin. The corners are bumped and edges are shelfworn. Gutters are worn and beginning to crack but still intact. Spine strip is worn with a piece missing in top right, but gilt spine label is still present. Previous owners marks on the front pastedown and first flyleaf. Pages are age toned throughout and foxed in places. Title page is clean and mostly free from age toning. The binding is broken at pages 48/49. Missing the frontispiece and advertisements present in some copies. Wing, W19079.  Bristol, B9930. Shipton & Mooney, 48116.