[LEGRAND, Marc-Antoine]

Les Avantures du voyageur aerien...

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chez Andre Cailleau, Paris, 1724. Octavo, uncut in original soft boards, faded ms. title on spine; some wear but an appealing copy in original condition. First edition, and very rare: an imaginary voyage by air, with the comedy Les Paniers. LeGrand (1673-1728) was a prolific writer and actor, known for his insightful plays, many of which troubled the censors. While Barbier thought that only Les Paniers was the work of LeGrand, it is usually argued that he was also the author of Les Avantures du voyageur aerien.

This work is one of the earliest examples of the use of air-travel to an imagined land. It was included by Garnier as volume XXIII in his collection, and he commented 'Mais le Voyageur ne découvre pas des peuples nouveaux: son secret ne lui sert qu'à parcourir rapidement notre globe ... les courses aériennes de notre'. The fact that no new peoples are discovered or described has made many critics reluctant to fully acknowledge the work as an Imaginary Voyage. Nonetheless, Gove whilst not including it in his formal bibliography, says that it is 'a good illustration of how a narrative form can be changed'.

Legrand's alternately comic, serious, and critical piece is a very important work in the history of flight, and is of notable rarity: NUC lists a single copy (DLC).
Barbier, I, 344.

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• ordernr.: 005_424

• bookseller: Hordern House (AUSTRALIA)