[Boursault, Edmé]

Les Fables D'Ésope, Comédie. Seconde édition

Paris: Theodore Girard, 1690 Edmé Boursault (1638-1701) was a miscellaneous writer and dramatist who is perhaps most remembered for taking on both Molière and Boileau in various theatrical satires. However, in this stage representation of Aesop’s Fables, Boursault presents Aesop as a character at court who offers advice and satirical comment in the form of fables. The dialogue is in rhymed couplets, intermittently broken by the verse fables in various rhymes and meters as composed by Boursault himself. In his Introduction, Boursault gives an account of this original treatment of Aesop — with a final nod to the master, La Fontaine. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica (1910), Boursault’s “lack of dramatic instinct could hardly be better indicated than by the scheme of his Esope, which allows the fabulist to come on the stage in each scene and recite a fable.” The play was nonetheless a great hit, was reprinted several times into the 18th century, and it was popular enough to inspire John Vanbrugh to write an imitation of it 1697. Editions were printed later under the title “Ésope à la cour.” Boursault’s piece, for all its oddity, marks a significant new departure in the presentation of the ancient fables. Several (at least 4) editions appeared with the date of 1690; but we can find none which has “Seconde édition” on the title-page, or which has the same collation as above. Not in RLIN or OCLC (AESOP’S FABLES) 12mo. Engraved additional title-page by Le Pautre. [20], 101, [1] pp. Full contemporary vellum. A clean, tight copy

• USD 800.00 > Andere Währungen
• Bestellnummer: 61807

• Antiquariat: James Cummins Bookseller Inc. (USA)