Alain-René Lesage HISTORIA DE GIL BLAS DE SANTILLANA (2 Vols) CHROMOLITHOGRAPHS

HISTORIA DE GIL BLAS DE SANTILLANA
Obra Escrita En Frances Por (2 Tomos, Complete) MR. LESAGE y Traducida al Castellano Por El Padre ISLA, Anotada Por El Exmo. Sr. D. Adolfo De Castro y Precedida De Un Prologo Del Ilmo. Sr. D. Manuel Canete

Published by Espasa y Compañía, Barcelona, undated. Circa 1885. Complete in Two Volumes, Spanish Text. Large heavy books bound with leather spines and decorative cloth sides, 37.5 x 28cm, bevel-edged boards, gilt to all page edges, moire silk endpapers,  xliii, 599 p.; 542 p. Profusely illustrated with numerous wonderful chromolithographs.

CONDITION
In very good condition. The bindings are in good condition and the inner and outer hinges are secure with no cracking. All contents present and pages in good clean condition throughout. All chromolithographs are present and in good condition. Overall a handsome complete set in lovely condition.

PLOT
Gil Blas is born in misery to a stablehand and a chambermaid of Santillana in Cantabria, and is educated by his uncle. He leaves Oviedo at the age of seventeen to attend the University of Salamanca. His bright future is suddenly interrupted when he is forced to help robbers along the route and is faced with jail.
Frontispiece and title page of a 1761 English translation of The Adventures of Gil Blas

He becomes a valet and, over the course of several years, is able to observe many different classes of society, both lay and clerical. Because of his occupation, he meets many disreputable people and is able to adjust to many situations, thanks to his adaptability and quick wit.