Les Voyages de Kang-Hi, ou Nouvelles Lettres Chinoises ("The Voyages of Kang-Hi, or New Chinese Letters").

GASTON, Pierre-Marc, Duc de Lévis.

Published by Paris: P. Didot l'Ainé, 1810

About this Item

First edition of this intriguing work of futuristic fiction imagining a visit to Europe in the early 20th century by a Chinese couple. The work marks the first use of the narrative device of a pull-out newspaper from the future - in this case the Journal du Déjeneur recounting world events on 15 September 1910. Les Voyages de Kang-Hi is intended "partly to describe present French manners from a distancing perspective. [and] partly to show plausible developments in technology" (Alkon, pp. 198-9), and it emulates the form of Montesquieu's Persian Letters. The author (1764-1830) was the son of Marshal Francis de Gaston and a politician and intellectual. During the French Revolution, following the dissolution of the National Constituent Assembly (of which he was a member), he fled to England. Cordier (2nd edition), p. 639; Lust 1280; Versins, p. 534; not inLöwendahl. Paul K. Alkon, Origins of Futuristic Fiction, 2010. 2 vols, duodecimo (168 x 97 mm). With 3 folding plates. Near-contemporary quarter sheep, smooth spine divided by gilt scrolling rolls, compartments tooled with gilt five-pointed stars, red and green labels, red sides, pale blue endpapers, edges yellow and speckled blue. Near-contemporary ownership label of one L. Perrin fils on front pastedowns. Losses to spines, worming to two boards and final 30 leaves of vol. II slightly affecting text, first plates in vol. I slightly proud were sometime incorrectly refolded. An acceptable copy with contents presenting nicely.

Seller Inventory # 161693

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Les Voyages de Kang-Hi, ou Nouvelles Lettres Chinoises ("The Voyages of Kang-Hi, or New Chinese Letters").
• Publisher: Paris: P. Didot l'Ainé, 1810
• Edition: 1st Edition