Devil Upon Crutches, Paperback by Le Sage, Alain Rene; Smollett, Tobias George (TRN); Brack, O. M., Jr. (EDT); Chilton, Leslie A. (EDT), ISBN 0820346055, ISBN-13 9780820346052, Like New Used, Free shipping in the US

<p>This is the first reprinting since the eighteenth century&;and the first scholarly edition&;of Tobias Smollett&;s translation of <i>The Devil upon Crutches</i>. First published in France in 1707 as <i>Le Diable boiteux</i>, Alain René Le Sage&;s novel relates the picaresque wanderings of Asmodeus, a refined, likable but decrepit devil, and Zambullo, his newfound mortal companion.<br><br>After Zambullo releases Asmodeus from a bottle, the two embark on a flight above the rooftops of Madrid. Peeking into houses, prisons, palaces, and even tombs, Zambullo witnesses one incident of treachery and self-delusion after another. Smollett&;s superior wit and sense of irony suited him well as translator for this novel, with its juxtaposition of realism with romance, satire with sentiment, and sexual intrigue with moral admonition.<br><br>This authoritative textual edition is based on the 1759 second edition of Smollett&;s translation. The extensive introduction covers such topics as the original French edition; the composition, printing, and reception of Smollett&;s <i>The Devil upon Crutches</i>; and Smollett&;s career as a translator. Also included are a complete textual apparatus and a guide to the now-exotic pharmaceuticals and remedies one encounters in the novel.</p>