Beschreibung:

GORCHAKOV, Dmitry Petrovich (1758-1824)]. Kalif na chas. [King for a Day]. Moscow: C. Klaudii, 1786. [Bound after:] [MARIVAUX, Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de (1688-1763)]. Ostrov nevol’nikov. [The Island of Slaves]. [with:] [THEATRE] Dva pluta v Gishpanii. [Two Rogues in Spain]. Moscow: Ponomarev, 1787. [with:] BATURIN, Pafnutii Sergeevich (c.1740-1803). Zgovor. [Conspiracy]. St Petersburg: Veitbrekht, 1783. Very scarce first editions of four 18 th -century satirical plays, including Gorchakov’s masterpiece, a critique of the ruthless and gloomy world of Russian government officials. The first play in the anthology is a translation of Marivaux’s L’Île des Esclaves (1729), inspired by Hellenistic romance, in which Greek-named characters are shipwrecked onto an island where masters become slaves, and slaves masters. Set in Merida, the anonymous Two Rogues in Spain is a picaresque play, with adventurous love intrigues and unexpected revelations. The fourth was written by the philosopher Baturin, known for his staunch opposition to the theosophist current of Martinism, very successful among Russian Masons. Graced with a plot revolving around the ebbs and flows of love, his play is prefaced by a ten-page critical essay on contemporary Russian comedy, its models and social function. WorldCat locates no copies outside Russia. 1: SK XVIII 4048, Sopikov 5536; 2) SK XVIII 1586, Sopikov 7431; 3) SK XVIII 1723, Sopikov 5347; 4) SK XVIII 421, Sopikov 5602. Octavo (180 x 110mm). (Edges softened, small tears at lower gutter of two leaves, few ink splashes, very light dampstaining in places, 2-4: stab holes at gutter). Contemporary Russian half calf, marbled boards, spine tooled and lettered in blind, blind-lettered labels, edges spreckled red (boards and extremities rubbed, spine a bit cracked). Provenance: 1: Jan Jiri Toman (modern stamp to ffep and title) – 2: ‘N. 364’ inked to recto and stamped monogram MZ to verso of title.