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First Edition Thus. Hardcover, tall 8vo (6 1/2 x 10 1/8 inches) in publisher's black cloth blocked in gold with ornate "orientalist" design approximating, perhaps, a harem screen, incorporating a section of Arabic bar lettering, the titles to the spine in gold, and rear board with a triangular vignette of Arabic script. Top edge gilt, others trimmed. Includes original publisher's note to booksellers, laid in. Also includes facsimile title page from Burton's subscriber-only first edition of 1885. This 1894 Library Edition set, in 12 volumes, contains extensive footnotes and a concluding essay by the Author. Vols. 1-12 complete, v.p. Printed on glazed stock, with extensive footnotes by Burton as well as a concluding essay at the end of the last volume. **CONDITION: Very Good. Occasional light marks to boards, very light rubbing to a couple of the outer joints, with moderate wear to head and tails of spines. Hinges appear in order. Top edge gilt a bit dulled. Light browning to prelims, and signs of light foxing to text block edges. Elsewhere light age toning, and pages are generally clean ( the odd smudge) and unwritten on. Vol. 1 with small 1/4 inch loss to top right of ffep. Set would require minimum of 15 inches of shelf space. As introduced in his "Translator's Forward," of Vol. 1, these tales of Moslem folklore were collected, adapted, written and rewritten from time immemorial, the various stories harking from areas of the Middle East, Northern Africa, Egypt and Syria; many places the Victorian polyglot extraordinaire army captain, traveler, author and later diplomat, CAPTAIN SIR RICHARD F. BURTON( 1821-1890) lived during his remarkable career, begun with the making of the Haj and visit to the Muslim citadel of Mecca in the early 1850's while in various disguises. He did convert to Islam from Catholicism, part of what sets him apart as a culturally-sensitive Western "orientalist," not unlike Lafcadio Hearn in this regard. Some earlier English and French nineteenth-century editions had been issued of "The Arabian Nights,", from which Burton takes exception with most. The premise of the work is a series of tales told by a woman, Scheherazade, the vizier's daughter, in order to distract the King Shahryar from the revenge he wishes to take on his unfaithful wife. Also described as a scientific and ethnographic work in its scope by the editor, and an important addition to world literature. REF: LOC. DNB. A.S. Byatt, Preface to "The Arabian Nights, Tales from a Thousand and One Nights," (New York,Modern Library, 2001.) (AMJ)
Ref: ORT 9739
$800.00