Books

London: T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1818. First Edition with Smirke Plates. 222 x 137 mm. (8 3/4 x 5 3/8"). Four volumes. Translated by Mary Smirke. Attractive contemporary purple straight-grain morocco, gilt, covers framed by gilt rules with leafy cornerpieces, raised bands, spine panels with central ornament and small leaf tools at corners, gilt lettering, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt, other edges untrimmed. With a total of 48 engravings (24 plates and 26 vignettes) after Robert Smirke. Front pastedown with engraved armorial bookplate of James Walter. Lowndes I, 401. ◆Bindings with just a little rubbing, occasional light yellowing to margins, minor offsetting from engravings, one plate with short tear to margin, but an excellent set, clean and fresh throughout, in pleasing bindings. This is an attractive copy of an esteemed edition of "Don Quixote," illustrated and translated by a father and daughter team. Robert Smirke (1753-1845) was a member of the Royal Academy and…

"Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes is a seminal work in Western literature, often regarded as the first modern novel. Published in two parts, the first in 1605 and the second in 1615, it tells the story of Alonso Quixano, a middle-aged gentleman from the region of La Mancha in central Spain. Obsessed with the chivalric romances of the Middle Ages, he loses his sanity and decides to become a knight-errant, renaming himself Don Quixote. He chooses a simple farmer, Sancho Panza, as his squire, promising him the governorship of an island. The duo embarks on a series of adventures, with Don Quixote seeking to right wrongs and bring justice to the world, driven by his absurdly outdated moral code and understanding of reality. The novel is famous for its satirical examination of the discrepancy between Quixote's fantasy world and the actual world of 17th-century Spain. This theme is most famously illustrated in the episode where Don Quixote fights windmills, mistaking them for giant monsters. Throughout their journeys, the pair encounters thieves, prostitutes, a chain gang, and various other characters, often causing more harm than good in their attempts to help. "Don Quixote" explores themes of truth and justice, the transition from the old world to the new, and the idea of madness versus sanity. Cervantes employs a narrative structure that includes stories within stories, allowing him to critique the social and literary conventions of his time. The novel has had a profound influence on the development of prose fiction and is considered a precursor to the modern novel. It is celebrated for its humor, moral integrity, and its deep humanity, offering a complex reflection on the nature of reality and the importance of empathy.

The first edition of 'Don Quixote' was published in two volumes in 1605 and 1615. It is characterized by the unique intricacies of 17th-century printing, with detailed title pages and specific typesetting quirks.