SERIMAN, Zaccaria (1708-1784). Viages de Enrique Wanton a las tierras incognitas australes y al pais

SERIMAN, Zaccaria (1708-1784). Viages de Enrique Wanton a las tierras incognitas australes y al pais de las Monas. En donde se expresan las costumbres, caracter, ciencias, y policía de estos extraordinarios habitantes, translated from the Italian by Gutierre Joaquin Vaca de Guzman y Manrique. Madrid: Antonio de Sacha [vol. I]; Miguel Escribano [vol. IV]; Bernardo Alberà [vols. I-IV], 1781-1778-1785-1778. 4 volumes, 4°, 13 engraved plates by José Patiño. (Vol. II with neat marginal repair to title, a few stains to first quire, and small hole at the inner margin of Cc3, vol. IV with light, mainly marginal staining.) Contemporary Spanish cat's paw sheep, flat gilt spines with contrasting morocco labels and repeated fleuron, red edges (light scuffing and scratch marks to covers).

Mixed Spanish edition of 'The Travels of Henry Wanton to the undiscovered austral regions and the kingdom of the Apes'. This book of imaginary travels owed most to the example of Swift, which is perhaps why the hero is an Englishman said to have written his account in English. However, other satirical elements were borrowed from Quevedo, Calderón, Cervantes and Gracian. The work first appeared in 1748-49 and in a 4-volume definitive edition in 1764; there was an English edition with Italian text in 1772; the first Spanish edition was published in Naples and Berne, 1756-1764. The translator contributed a prologue and address to the reader, commenting on the author's use of 'certain new discoveries' ('ciertos nuevos descubrimentos') for the purposes of satire on the old world. Palau 373957.

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