“THE OLD MAN ENDED THE SCENE BY RUNNING TO THE DOOR, AND FASTENING IT UPON HIS SON, WHO FOUND HIMSELF HOMELESS AND IN THE STREET”

(BURTON, Richard F. and BURTON, Isabel). DE ALENCAR, J. Iraçéma: The Honey-Lips. WITH: PEREIRA DA SILVA, J.M. Manuel de Moraes: A Chronicle of the Seventeenth Century. London: Bickers & Son, 1886. Small octavo, original taupe stiff paper wrappers. $1200.

First edition of this translation by the Burtons of two Brazilian novellas.

In 1865 orientalist and explorer Sir Richard Burton began a four-year consulship at Santos, the port of Sao Paulo in Brazil. While there, he began several translations that were not published until many years later, such as his Camoens. One translation that was ready for publication was Iraçéma: The Honey-Lips, "a translation from the Brazilian Portuguese that was [his wife Isabel Burton's] own; it was bound with a work they had jointly translated, a seventeenth-century chronicle named after its author, Manuel de Moraes" (Rice, 395-96). Although the translations were complete, they would not be published until 1886, while Burton was British Consul at Trieste. Alencar is now considered one of the fathers of modern Brazilian literature. Penzer, 149-50. Spink 87.

Interior fine. Light toning to spine and slight soiling to original paper wrappers; inner hinges expertly reinforced. A fine copy of a scarce Burton translation, rare in original wrappers.