A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy.

London: Printed for T. Becket and P. A. De Hondt,, 1768. The birth of the sentimental travel genre First edition, rare and desirable in an uncut state as here. Sterne's popular travelogue established sentimental travel literature as a predominant genre in the late 18th century. In 1765, Sterne travelled through France and Italy as far south as Naples. The novel, published three weeks before his death, contains an account of his journey narrated by the author's alter-ego Mr Yorick. Sterne called it his "work of redemption", an atonement for the bawdiness of Tristram Shandy, and "an attempt at self-justification for his life and his writings, a final effort to find the proper equation between human and divine love (more broadly, between human appetites and spiritual injunctions) - a problem that had dogged Sterne throughout his life" (ODNB). Whereas previous travel accounts were focused on descriptive accounts of regions visited and peoples seen, Sterne instead focuses on the emotional and psychological experiences of the traveller themselves - hence a "sentimental journey". A large number of similar works followed throughout the rest of the century, especially those written by women. This copy has variant 1 in both volumes: vol. I, p. 150, l. 12 "vaus"; and vol. II, p. 133, last line "who have", as does the copy described at Rothschild 1972. It is the standard issue; some copies were issued on large paper. Two volumes, small octavo. Contemporary marbled boards, sometime rebacked to style in calf with blue morocco labels, edges uncut. Housed in custom red cloth chemise within morocco pull-off box by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Complete with half-titles and list of subscribers in vol. I, Sterne's engraved arms in the text. Boards rubbed, inner hinges neatly reinforced, some light toning internally: an excellent copy. ESTC T14747; Grolier, 100 English, 54; Rothschild 1972; Sterling 808; Tinker 1978.