Novelas Exemplares Cervantes Saaveedra, Miguel de

Revised Version of the 1614 Brussels Edition Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de. Novelas exemplares. 1625. Brussels. Huberto Antonio, Impressor jurado al Aguila de oro, cerca de Palacio. 8vo. (8) ll., 608 pp. Old stiff vellum. Title page backed, with small rectangular piece cut away from upper outer blank margin. Occasional very minor worm traces in lower blank margins, never affecting text. Overall in good condition. Ink signature scored in upper blank margin of title page. Relatively early edition, revising the Brussels edition of 1614, adding in the preliminary leaves an "Aprobación de Enrique Smeyers, Visitador de los libros, en la villa de Bruselas, á 20 de Deciembre de 1624". These twelve tales, which are considered of unequal merit, contain some of Cervantes' best work; some were written much later than others. The two picturesque novellas, "Rinconete y Cartadilloe" and "Colloquio de los perros" are superb examples, and would alone entitle Cervantes to take rank with the greatest masters of Spanish prose - see the article on Cervantes by Fitzmaurice-Kelly in the Encyclopedia Britannica 11th edition. The preliminary matter is much the same as found in the first two editions except that the sonnet in praise of Cervantes by Juan de Solis Majia is absent; sonnets by the Marquez de Alcanizes, and Don Fernando de Lodeña as well as a poem by Fernando Bermudez y Caravajal are included. The prologue to the reader is of great interest, since it contains the only known authoritative description of the author. Cervantes describes himself as being of aquiline countenance with dark brown hair, a smooth clear brow, merry eyes, and a well appointed nose. His beard is silver (gold twenty years ago), with teeth (although only six), of medium height, with a bright complexion, more pale than dark, somewhat heavy in the shoulder and not very light of foot. Provenance: Kenneth Rapoport, his bookplate on front free endleaves. Rius 233; Peeters-Fontainas (1965) 241; Bonsoms i Sicart 59; Palau 53412; Salvá 1747; Heredia 2640; Goldsmith, British Museum 1601-1700 Spanish and Portuguese STC, C480. Jerez p. 26. HSA p. 128 (the Jerez copy). This edition is not in Gallardo.