BEHN (Aphra). - Lot 44

BEHN (Aphra). Oronoko, translated from the English by Madame Behn. Amsterdam: Published by the Company, 1745. — 2 parts in one volume, in-16, 144x94: (1 f.), xv, 104 pp.; (2 ff.), 168 pp. Speckled tan calfskin, triple gilt fillet framing and gilt coat of arms at the corners on the covers, plain spine decorated with grotesque motifs, gilt roulette on the inside, gilt edges (contemporary binding). First edition of the first French translation by Pierre-Antoine de La Place (1707–1793) of this major novel in the history of literature. First published in 1688, Oronoko is considered one of the first modern English novels but above all one of the first Western works of fiction to address the slave trade and slavery, denouncing, ahead of its time, the cruelty of this system. In a blend of colonial realism and romantic tragedy, the author tells the story of Oronoko, an African prince, who falls in love with Imoinda, the daughter of his grandfather’s favorite general. But the king, enamored with the young woman, demands that she become his wife. Refusing this forced marriage, Imoinda prefers to risk death. In retaliation, the king has her sold into slavery in Suriname, thus setting the tragedy in motion. Aphra Behn (1640–1689), a pioneering figure in English literature, is recognized as one of the first women to earn a living as a writer in Great Britain. Originally from the Canterbury area, she spent time in Suriname, an English colony dedicated to sugarcane cultivation, an experience that deeply inspired her novel Oronoko, her most famous work. Upon its release in 1688, the book went unnoticed. It wasn’t until 1696 that it was republished, and it was only after Aphra Behn’s death that the novel found its audience. The real turning point came in 1695 with Thomas Southerne’s theatrical adaptation of the novel, which turned it into a successful melodrama but introduced two major changes: Imoinda becomes white (whereas she is Black in the novel), and the emphasis is placed on tragic scenes, such as Oronoko’s murder of Imoinda. It is this version that would dominate the 18th and 19th centuries. In France, the novel was first translated in 1745 by Pierre-Antoine de La Place, who followed Southerne’s choices, featuring a white Imoinda. The book, reprinted seven times before 1800 (sometimes illustrated with erotic engravings), would become one of the best-selling English adaptations in France. A precious and extremely rare copy, enriched with a signed autograph dedication by La Place: To Monsieur Le Prince // de Robecq, from his // most humble servant // De La Place The work was published in February 1745 (see Mercure de France from that period), so there is every reason to believe that this dedication is addressed to Anne-Auguste de Montmorency, sixth Prince of Robech, born in 1679 and died on October 27, 1745. Descended from an illustrious military lineage, he began his career as a musketeer in 1695 before distinguishing himself in the wars at the end of Louis XIV’s reign. Initially Count of Ester, he quickly rose through the ranks: captain in 1697, major in 1698, and then colonel of the Normandy Regiment in 1700. During the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714), he distinguished himself in Italy, Spain, and Roussillon. Wounded on several occasions, he took part in decisive battles such as Chiari, Luzzara, Turin, and Barcelona, where his daring earned him successive promotions. In 1711, his victory at Girona earned him the prestigious title of Knight of the Golden Fleece. After the war, he inherited the title of Prince of Robech in 1716. Appointed lieutenant general in 1720, he served again during the War of the Polish Succession (1734) before retiring. This copy has a very interesting feature: it reveals the identity of the letter’s recipient, referred to by the enigmatic name “Madame la M. P. d’I…”. A contemporary annotation offers an identification: “Ma(?)alle Pe d’Isenguin,” a reference that appears to indicate the “Marshal Princess of Isenghien,” that is, at that time Margaretha Camilla Grimaldi (1700–1758), wife of Louis de Gand de Mérode de Montmorency (1678–1767), Prince of Isenghien and Masmines, appointed Marshal of France on February 11, 1741. The epistle, composed in verse, reveals from the very first words that this lady in fact declined the honor of having the book dedicated to her. A copy in an elegant contemporary binding featuring a lovely spine decorated with grotesque motifs, and on the covers four alerions, the coat of arms of the Montmorency family. Slight rubbing on the headbands, a small loss on the lower headband, and rounded corners. A brown stain in the margin of page 59 of the second part. Provenance: Anne-Auguste de Montmorency, with an autograph dedication by the author