THE TALES OF THE GENII: OR, THE DELIGHTFUL LESSONS OF HORAM THE SON OF ASMAR. Faithfully Translated from the Persian Manuscript; and Compared with the French and Spanish Editions Published at Paris and Madrid. By Sir Charles Morell, Formerly Ambassador from the British Settlements in India to the Great Mogul

Morell, Charles (pseudonym of James Ridley)

Published by Printed for J. Wilkie, London, 1764

About this Item

Small quarto, two volumes: pp. [i-iii] iv [v] vi-viii [ix] x-xxix [xxx: blank] [1] 2-354; [i-ii] [1] 2-406 [407-408: blank] [note: Fff4, a blank leaf in volume 2 is present], fourteen inserted plates with engravings from drawings by A. Walker, eighteenth-century full calf, front, rear and spine panels ruled in gold, brown leather labels titled in gold affixed to spine panels. First edition. A popular collection of pseudo-oriental tales which went through at least seven editions by 1800. "An idiosyncratic manifestation of the eighteenth-century mania for Oriental tales inspired by Galland's translation of THE ARABIAN NIGHTS (1704-1717). The author was allegedly 'formerly ambassador in India to the Great Mogul,' but was in fact a British clergyman who had never traveled abroad. The stories imitate the style of THE ARABIAN NIGHTS. The 'exotic' names of the characters are often anagrams of English names. Morell's one substantive innovation is his conclusion, in which an evil magician flies off to wreak havoc in England -- an interesting if accidental foreshadowing of the menace from the East so effectively employed by Bram Stoker in DRACULA." - Barron (ed), Fantasy Literature 1-55. Charles Dickens loved Ridley's stories as a child, making several allusions to them in later novels and Ridley's "The Adventures of Abudah the Merchant" inspired a key image in Coleridge's "Kubla Khan." Irwin, The Arabian Nights: A Companion, pp. 244; 267. Bleiler (1978), p.143. Reginald 12242. NCBEL II, 1001. Block, The English Novel 1740-1850, p. 198. Partial hairline cracks along outer joints, but hinges still holding firm, ink stain to lower margin of T2 of volume 1, tiny chip from upper right margin of Yy2 of volume 2, very faint marginal stains to a few leaves in each volume, but a remarkably clean text overall. A very good copy with nearly fine interior. (#118754). Seller Inventory # 118754

Bibliographic Details

Title: THE TALES OF THE GENII: OR, THE DELIGHTFUL ...

Publisher: Printed for J. Wilkie, London

Publication Date: 1764

Binding: Hardcover

Edition: 1st Edition