Descrizione

Testo inglese. Cm.16,2x9,7. Pg.VIII, 184. Legatura in piena pelle coeva, con titoli e fregi in oro al dorso a tre nervature. Ricche bordure decorative in oro ai piatti. Abrasioni alle cerniere e piccola mancanza al capitello superiore. Vignetta calcografica incisa da H. Robinson al frontespizio. Tre tavole di Westall, incise da J. Heath, fuori testo. "Since The Idler did not occupy all Johnson's time, he was able to publish his philosophical novella "Rasselas" on 19 April 1759. The "little story book", as Johnson described it, describes the life of Prince Rasselas and Nekayah, his sister, who are kept in a place called the Happy Valley in the land of Abyssinia. The Valley is a place free of problems, where any desire is quickly satisfied. The constant pleasure does not, however, lead to satisfaction; and, with the help of a philosopher named Imlac, Rasselas escapes and explores the world to witness how all aspects of society and life in the outside world are filled with suffering. They return to Abyssinia, but do not wish to return to the state of constantly fulfilled pleasures found in the Happy Valley. Rasselas was written in one week to pay for his mother's funeral and settle her debts; it became so popular that there was a new English edition of the work almost every year. References to it appear in many later works of fiction, including Jane Eyre, Cranford and The House of the Seven Gables. Its fame was not limited to English-speaking nations: Rasselas was immediately translated into five languages (French, Dutch, German, Russian and Italian), and later into nine others" (da Wikipedia). > Gay, "Bibliographie des ouvrages relatifs a l'Afrique et a l'Arabie", 2591, per l'edizione francese. Codice libreria 163965.