La Guerre et la Paix
It precedes the Russian edition and was printed in only 500 copies, intended for the French market.
The novel was printed in Saint Petersburg, in a translation by Princess Irène Ivanovna Paskevitch, in three parts: “Avant Tilsitt, 1805–1807”; “L’invasion, 1807–1812”; and “Borodino, Les Français à Moscou, Épilogue, 1812–1820.” The title page identifies the translator only as “par une Russe.”
A letter from Turgenev to Tolstoy, dated 12 January 1880, confirms that the 500 copies were duly received for sale in France by their distributor, Hachette. Turgenev, an ardent promoter of Russian literature abroad, remained confident about its prospects: “Its whole manner is far from what the French like and look for in books; but truth always prevails in the end. I hope for, if not a brilliant victory, then at least a conquest that may be slow but lasting.”
The first French edition was not published until 1884, again by Hachette.
An in-text map depicting the battles of Shevardino and Borodino is printed on page 5 of the third volume.
A good copy, carefully bound.
It retains its rare wrappers, its blank preliminary leaves and its six pages of Errata and Variantes.