Books

The Way to Wealth or Poor Richard Improved by Benj. Franklin Paris. Printed for Ant. Aug. Renouard, Apolline s street, no. 25. 1795. Dijon. Printed by P. Cousse. 29 pages in English followed by half-title page for La Science du Bonhomme Richard. Followed by title page for: La Science du Bonhomme Richard, ou Moyen Facile de Payer les Impots. par Benj. Franklin. Paris. Chez Ant. Aug. Renouard rue Apolline, no. 25. 1795. pagination continues from first section, up to page 82. Text in French. followed by half-title page for Lettres de Franklin. Followed by 4 page advertissement in French. Pagination continues to page 114. Letters in both French and English. followed by half-title page for Dialogue entre La Goutte et Franklin. Pagination continues to page 144. Text in French. followed by half-title page for Quelques Mots sue l Amerique avis a crux qui voudroient aller s etablier dans cette contree. pagination continues to page 181. Text in French. followed by 2 pages of Franklin s epitaph, in French and English. followed by table of contents, outlining the same details as above. Followed by: Interrogatoire de M. Franklin devant le Chambre des Communes. This is separately printed, not a part of the other publication, though currently bound together. First page is numbered 27 . Handwritten note on this first page (modern) says 1766. Not in Sabin. Pagination continuous from 27-81. Page 82 (the verso of 81) begins a new section called Constitution de la Republique de Pensylvania telle quell a ete etablier par la Commission generale extraordinaire, elue a cet effet, & assembl�e a Philadelphie, dans ses seances, commencees le 15 Juillet 1776, & continu�es par des ajournemens successifs, jusqu au 28 Septembre suivant. Text in French. Pagination continues up to page 145. Page 146 begins with Interrogatoire de M. Penn a la Barre du Parlement d Angleterre. Text in French. Pages 146-151. Final page is an advertisement for Livres qui se trouvent chez le meme Libraire. [The version here has the same pagination (pages numbered 27-81/82-145/146-151) as the 1777 edition of La Science du Bonhomme Richard, published in Philadelphia. The 1778 edition is differently paginated, with the Interrogatoire beginning on page 43.] Originally issued with a engraved portrait of Franklin (the Duplessis portrait, familiar from the $100 bill), but the engraving is lacking here. Engraved portrait of Franklin pasted to the front endpaper in place of the missing one. (the David Martin portrait of 1767, engraved by W.D. Smith, undated.) This engraving from the portrait reproduces the curtain in the background, but not the Roman bust that appears in the original painting. Some copies of the Way to Wealth were issued with Franklin s thoughts on the Indians (sauvages) of North America, separately paginated after page 182, but this copy does not include that work. Bound in an early 19th century binding, perhaps final years of 18th century. Leather spine. Marbled paper over boards. Fore-edges marbled as well, showing that the two works have been bound together for quite some time. Binding is good and tight, with a slight crack at the gutter where the two works join. On the front endpaper there is a small (postage stamp sized) embossed portrait of Franklin, clipped from somewhere else, pasted in the center of the page. No indication of where or when it s from. Some brown smudges at the edge of the pasted-in portrait of Franklin, where paste has browned. Very mild foxing. Measures 4 x 6.75 inches. Several lines on the inside front cover, written in pencil, in a dealer s handwriting, gives Sabin 25596, notes that the Interrogatoire is not in Sabin, and makes a comment (illegible) about the portrait. The Way to Wealth was the best selling (most popular?) title of Franklin s. It was original written for the 1758 Poor Richard s Almanac, but it was reprinted many times. [shelved with Franklin collection].