Dictionnaire des Gens du Monde, a l'Usage de la Cour et de la Ville; with: With: A New Dictionary for the Fashionable World, Translated from the French (London: For the Author, 1820)
Paris: Alexis Eymery & Baudouin Frères, 1818. Twelvemo, measuring 7.25 x 4 inches: xvi, 215, [8]. Original pink pictorial wrappers backed with printer’s waste, frontispiece engraving, eight-page bookseller catalogue at rear, text block uncut. Inked flourishes in margins by selected entries, annotation to “apothicaire” definition. Lightest shelfwear, shallow loss to wrappers at foot of spine. With: Twelvemo, measuring 7 x 4 inches: [4], 152. Original pink paper boards rebacked, renewed paper spine label, frontispiece engraving, text block uncut. Light soiling and expert repair to boards.
Second edition of Alexandre Baudouin’s satirical dictionary, published in Paris the same year as the first, accompanied by the first English edition, which appeared in London two years later. A pointed collection of observations and maxims, Baudouin’s dictionary reflects his republican sympathies, but includes all of humanity in its scope. Entries include BAL MASQUÉ: “Établissement de charité pour les femmes laides.” DÉBONNAIRE: “Surnom des rois dont ne sait que dire. Synonyme d’imbécille.” RESPECT: “Hommage presque toujours rendu par la crainte.” Interestingly, this stated second edition appears to be the earliest edition to survive. The first English edition makes no attempt to translate Baudouin’s entries directly, but rather takes the idea of the dictionary and runs with it: “much of this new ‘Dictionnaire des Gens du Monde’ would bear translation, which, with the arrangement of some apt quotations and selections, might enable me to send into the world a little book! A little cheap book!” English highlights include: ASS: “An epithet much abused, as we are constantly giving it to a stupid, ignorant person, who is totally void of the good qualities of this most patient and laborious animal.” ENVY: “A most pernicious fever, which has its origin in the happiness of others.” WAIST: “A part of the body, whose length, breadth, shortness and smallness, is entirely regulated by fashion, which sometimes appears not to allow of any.” A second (and more faithful) English translation of Baudouin’s dictionary appeared in 1822, titled The Man of the World’s Dictionary. Both dictionaries are notable for their condition: in original wrappers and boards, complete with engraved frontispieces, uncut. The early reader’s flourishes in the French dictionary are particularly charming. A scarce and attractive pair.
Price: $2,500.00