Russia
[CATHERINE II, THE GREAT] - [CASTERA, Jean-Henri de].
The life of Catharine II. Empress of Russia. An Enlarged Translation from the French [by William Tooke].
T.N. Longman and J. Debrett, London, 1798. 3 volumes 8vo (20.6 x 12.5 cm). 2 frontispieces engraved in aquatint by J. Chapman and 1 folding engraved map; without the half-titles, occasional spotting, stronger on the map. Contemporary tree calf, flat spine richly gilt in compartments, red and green morocco label to two, marbled endpapers; skilfully rebacked, slightly rubbed at extremities.
FINE COPY, ELEGANTLY BOUND, OF THE FIRST ENGLISH EDITION, published a year after the French original and "enlarged by considerably more than one half" by Tooke, who was chaplain at St. Petersburg during 18 years. Tooke knew well the Imperial court and the Russian political scene, and added many details and portraits to Castera's work. His was a standard work on Russia for English-speaking readers: this translation is sometimes considered as his original work and was translated back into French in 1801. Both works (Castera's original French edition and Tooke's interpretation) were esteemed even in Russia until the late 19th century. Byron owned both and made an extensive use of them in his 'Don Juan'. The first volume interestingly includes three sections of Preliminaries describing the geographical, climatic and economic state of the Russian Empire immediately after Catherine's death. Next to the map of the Russian Empire, the frontispieces show seven portraits: Catherine the Great and Peter III in volume 1 and five important figures in the volume 2, including Princes Potemkin and Orloff. Crowther 466.
Price: £ 750
US Dollar Price: $ 1090
Stock Number: 71520