(Louis de Cahusac). Grigri, histoire véritable.

Traduite du Japonnois en Portugais par Didaque Hadeczuca, Compagnon d'un missionnaire à Yendo; & du Portugais en François par l'Abbé de ***, Aumônier d'un vaisseau Hollandois. Derniere édition moins correcte que les premières. Nangazaki (Paris?), Klnporzenkru, seul imprimeur du très auguste Cubo, 59749 (=1739), 2 parts in 1 vol. XXIV,167; (4),221 pp., cont. mottled calf w. richly dec. gilt back, blue marbled edges, 12mo.

Binding chafed, some holes in front side, else a very good and clean copy, with engr. heraldic bookplate of "Mr. D'Hyenville", which is Charles Antoine Tanqueray (1743-1794), on upper pastedown. Tangueray (or Tanquerey) owned a rich library, he died under the guillotine on Juli 21, 1794. First edition of an interesting utopian and erotic novel-length tale on the island Fortunée with as a central figure the youngster Grigri, written by 'Didaque Hadeczuca', anagram of Louis de Cahusac (1706-1759), French playwright and librettist, and a member of the Academy of science and literature in Berlin. The title of Grigri, his most successful work, states that the fairy-tale was originally translated from Japanese into Portuguese by Hadeczuca followed by a translation into French. The tale describes the idyllic society and the adventures of Grigri, a.o. his courting of the queen Améthiste, during which he is assisted by a fairy. The novel is of libertine and frivolous quality and was put on a police index in 1825 according to Gay-Lemonnyer. Barbier, II, 575; Gay-Lemonnyer, II-435; Querard, I, 158a; Cioranescu 15083; Alt Japan Kat. 267. See also lot 677.