Author: [RUTLEDGE (Jean-Jacques)]:
Title: The Englishman's Fortnight in Paris; or, The Art of Ruining Himself There in a Few Days. By an Observer. Translated from the French.
Description: London: Printed for T. Durham, at Charing-Cross, and G. Kearsleyk, at No. 46, in Fleet-Street, 1777. 8vo, 207 x 118 mms., pp., [ii], x, 222 [223 adverts, 224 blank], with the subscription leaf of Gilbert's Circulating Library Spalding on the front paste-down end-paper; no leaves before title-page, which is creased and soiled, contemporary half calf, marbled boards (very rubbed), old rebacking and recornering, but front joint cracked and tender, and binding dried; text clean. This translation of Jean Jacques Rutledge's La Quinzaine Angloise à Paris was noticed almost immediately by The Monthly Review: "We are assured that this narrative is founded in the real imprudences and misfortunes of a young English Milord, who lately made the fashionable trip to the great emporium of modern politeness, -- with twelve thousand guineas in his pocket, -- and all squandered in a fortnight, amidst a crowd of whores, pimps, doctors, abbe's, marquisses, and other sharpers of the ton.... The preface informs us that the original, in French, was suppressed at Paris. If this be true, which we do not question, it might not. perhaps, be wholly a groundless supposition, if we were to ascribe this act of police, to some apprehension in our prudent neighbours, that the perusal of this exemplary detail, might tend to frighten our young people of fashion from making the tour, and keep them and their money at home; for which good end, this history of a fortnight's follies is extremely well adapted." To judge from the condition of the book, this was one of the Spalding Circulating Library's most popular item. Were the young people of fashion frightened enough by reading this book to avoid making the Grand Tour of the continent? The work appeared in three issues or states in 1777. This is ESTC N31079, with a note below the date on the title-page, "This Work may be had of the above Booksellers in French, Printed from the Paris Edition, which was suppressed in that Country."

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