CONSTANT (Benjamin). Adolphe. Anecdote found in the papers of an unknown person. London, Colburn ; Paris, Tröttel [sic] et Würtz, 1816. In-12, long-grained red half-maroquin with small corners, spine and corners edged with gilt fillet, smooth spine decorated with a repetition of wavy fillets, spotted edges (English period binding). Genuine first edition, printed and published in London, where Benjamin Constant had written Adolphe during his voluntary exile. The London edition, printed by Schulze and Dean, was announced in the Morning Chronicle of 6 June 1816 as "this day published", a few days before the Paris edition, printed by Crapelet from the proofs of the English edition and published around 15 June. It is extremely rare, with only three known copies in public libraries - the British Library, Harvard and the Taylor Institution in Oxford. In particular, it is missing from the BnF. A famous novel of psychological analysis describing the author's affair with Madame de Staël, Adolphe remains "one of the most beautiful novels in French literature, one of the most mysterious and provocative that has ever been written" (In French in the text). A charming copy, very fresh, in a very attractive contemporary English binding, a rare condition for this work which is "almost always very soberly bound at the time", according to Clouzot, and very often in a mediocre state of preservation. From the library of William Russell, 8th Duke of Bedford (1809-1872), Whig MP for Tavistock in Devon, with bookplate at Endsleigh House. Courtney, n°18a - Carteret, I, 178 - Vicaire, II, 932 - Clouzot, 70 - En français dans le texte, n°225.