First Edition in English STEVENS, John, [translator]. The The Spanish Libertines. Or, the Lives of Justina, the Country Jilt; Celestina, the Bawd of Madrid; and Estevanillo Gonzales, the most comical of Scoundrels. To which is added a play call'd An Evening's Adventure. All four written by eminent Spanish authors, and now first made English by Captain John Stevens. London: Samuel Bunchley, 1707. Full Description:
The Spanish Libertines. Or, the Lives of Justina, the Country Jilt; Celestina, the Bawd of Madrid; and Estevanillo Gonzales, the most comical of Scoundrels. To which is added a play call'd An Evening's Adventure. All four written by eminent Spanish authors, and now first made English by Captain John Stevens.
London: Samuel Bunchley, 1707.
. The The Spanish Libertines. Or, the Lives of Justina, the Country Jilt; Celestina, the Bawd of Madrid; and Estevanillo Gonzales, the most comical of Scoundrels. To which is added a play call'd An Evening's Adventure. All four written by eminent Spanish authors, and now first made English by Captain John Stevens. London: Samuel Bunchley, 1707.
First edition in English. Octavo (7 1/2 x 4 5/8 inches; 190 x 118 mm). [8], 528 pp. With separate half-titles for An Evening's Adventure and Estevanillo Conzales. Title-page within double-rule border. We could find only one other copy on Rare Book Hub in over 30 years. ESTC lists another copy also dated 1707 with the publisher as "J. How."
Contemporary calf, rebacked. Newer red morocco spine label, lettered in gilt. Endpapers renewed. Boards and corners a bit rubbed and bumped. Leaf Q8 with fore-edge frayed and a closed tear with tape repair, but with no loss of text. Some general toning and soiling throughout. Still a very good copy.
"'Justina' is a translation of 'La pi?cara Justina', which is sometimes attributed to Francisco Lo?pez de Ubeda and to Andre?s Pe?rez de Leo?n; 'Celestina' is attributed to Fernando de Rojas; 'Estevanillo Gonzales' is a translation of 'Vida y hechos de Estevanillo Gonzale?s', which is attributed to Gonzale?s; and 'An evenings adventures' is an adaptation of a play by Juan de Avila." (ESTC).
"Stevens, John (c. 1662–1726), translator and antiquary, was born in London, the son of Richard Stevens, page of the backstairs to Queen Catherine of Braganza. In view of his later statement that he was brought up to speak Spanish from infancy, and given that his father had earlier served the first earl of Clarendon in Madrid, it is likely that his mother was of Spanish origin." (Oxfored DNB). He translated many works of Spanish literature into English, including a version of Don Quixote in 1706.
ESTC N23941.
HBS 69646.
$1,500.
Price: $1,500.00
Item #69646