[Children's & Illustrated] [Beauty and the Beast] Genlis, (Stéphanie-Félicité Ducrest de St. Aubin, Madame de). The Beauty and the Monster. A Comedy
Worcester, Massachusetts: Isaiah Thomas, 1785. First American edition. 12mo. 35 pp. Contemporary stab-sewn waste-paper wrappers (reused from an almanac), losses along spine, wrappers worn with some worming and soiling; light to moderate wear and creasing along extremities; light dampstaining in upper gutter of most leaves; in blue cloth slip case and chemise. Evans 19021; Nichols 122; Rosenbach 102
The first American appearance of Beauty and the Beast. The present work is a translation and theatrical adaptation by French educator Madame de Genlis, of French author Madame Leprince de Beaumont's version of the classic fairy tale. Printer Isaiah Thomas was a proponent of Genlis's work, which was typically written for use in girls' education, and printed several editions of her didactic dramas for children.
According to RBH, only two copies of this text have come to auction. A rare survival, especially in contemporary wrappers.
This lot is located in Philadelphia.
Provenance
From the collection of Justin G. Schiller
![[Children's & Illustrated] [Beauty and the Beast] Genlis, (Stéphanie-Félicité Ducrest de St. Aubin, Madame de). The Beauty and the Monster. A Comedy](https://assets.basta.app/accounts/4832eb18-f9a7-4c12-8295-871abe232696/images/bd711777-d7d5-419b-9ba0-953c22292b35?format=auto&width=1080&quality=75)
![[Children's & Illustrated] [Beauty and the Beast] Genlis, (Stéphanie-Félicité Ducrest de St. Aubin, Madame de). The Beauty and the Monster. A Comedy](https://assets.basta.app/accounts/4832eb18-f9a7-4c12-8295-871abe232696/images/277c0eaa-5aac-46aa-91bf-adc4a8cef5ca?format=auto&width=1080&quality=75)