CASANOVA DE SEINGALT, Lot n° 999

Giacomo Girolamo. Memoirs written by himself. Original edition. Edited by Jean Laforgue]. Paris & Bruxelles, F.A. Brockhaus & Ponthieu et Comp., & Heidelhoff et Campé, 1826-1838. 12 volumes in-12 (157 x 103 mm) de XXIV, 455 pp., 1 f.n.ch. d'errata for volume I; VI, 468 p., 1 f.n.ch. d'errata and 1 f.n.ch. de catalogue de libraire for volume II; VIII, 468 pp.., 1 f.n.ch. d'errata for volume III; VIII, 519 pp. for volume IV; VII, 513 pp. for volume V; VII, 524 pp. for volume VI; VI, 516 pp. for volume VII; VII, 492 pp. for volume VIII; VI, 621 pp. for volume IX; VI, 524 pp. for volume X; VI, 496 pp. for volume XI; VI, 470 pp. for volume XII; semi-percaline bronze wedge binding (modern binding with old spines remounted). Casanova had written his Memoirs in French from 1789, but died in 1798 before completing the revision. The German publisher Brockhaus acquired the manuscript in 1821 and published a German translation from 1822 to 1828. The success was such that a very neglected French pirate edition, a translation of this translation, was published between 1825 and 1828, at Tournachon et Molin. Brockhaus then joined forces with Parisian publishers and commissioned Jean Laforgue to read the manuscript of Mémoires, to revise it, to delete or attenuate as he wished the descriptions, sentences, and words that were too obscene, to embellish the style, stuffed with Italianisms, with a more literary twist, in order to establish this definitive edition. Freckles and stains; completely redone binding, with the original spines remounted. Rives Childs, 9.