Author: LA BRUYERE (Jean de):
Title: Les Caracteres de La Bruyere. Suivis des Caracteres de Théophraste Traduite du Grec par le même. Édition Stéréotype.
Description: A Paris, de l'Imprimerie de Firmin Didot, Imprimeur du Roi, et de l'Institue..., 1819. 2 volumes. 12mo (in 6s), 132 x 80 mms., pp. xxiii xxiv blank], 303 [304 index]; 349 [350 blank], attractively bound in contemporary green morocco, with ornate gilt border with gilt swirls, oval gilt wreath with sailing ship image and initials R. N. C. beneath on each cover, gilt spines, red morocco labels on each spine. Inscribed on recto of second front free end-paper, "Awarded to/ W. Crewe/ Student of the R. N. College,/ for proficiency in French./ 17 Decr. 1833./ P. C. Laurent"; and a hand-written note reading, "2 Vols. Prize Books/ Awarded to Papa at the/ R. N. C. in 1833." A bookseller's note at the end states "lacks half title," but I do not see any evidence in the collation that would call for a half-title. The date of 1833 is slightly curious, as the Royal Naval School was not formally constituted as the Royal Naval College until 1883; but for practical purposes it might have had the latter in common use. "First published in 1688, the Caractères comprises illustrations of various human follies, corruptions, and abuses, and is followed here by La Bruyère's translation of Theophrastus' Characters. The Royal Naval Academy was established at Portsmouth dockyard in 1733 to train officers for the Royal Navy, being renamed the Royal Naval College in 1806. Its numerous notable alumni included Jane Austen's brothers Francis and Charles, both of whom became admirals. The College closed in 1837. The prize inscription here is signed by Peter Edmund Laurent (1796 1837), a native of Picardy, who, after teaching modern languages at Oxford, became French Master at the Royal Naval College in 1828, where he established a reputation as 'a most able teacher' (Dickinson, Educating the Royal Navy, p. 49). In addition to Recollections of a classical tour (1821), Laurent 'published manuals on French and German grammar, an introduction to ancient geography, and a translation into English of Herodotus' (ODNB)." This information from a bookseller's note.

Keywords: binding naval literature


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