Fábulas literarias.Madrid, Imprenta Real, 1782. 4to. With rococo decorated capitals. Mottled calf, richly gold-tooled spine with red morocco label lettered in gold, double blind fillets on boards.

[4], 157, [16] pp.First edition of the best-known work of the famous Spanish neo-classical poet Tomás de Iriarte (or Yriarte) y Oropesa (1750-1791). His name is most intimately associated with the present Fábulas literarias (1782), composed in a great variety of metres, and known for its humorous and satirical attacks on literary men and methods, many aimed at Juan Pablo Forner (1756-1797). R. Merit Cow writes: “The appearance of the literary fables of Tomas de Iriatre definitely established him as the great literary arbiter of his day … With the publication of his collection of poetry, his dominance of the literary scene ... was now hailed from all sides. He was considered from this time forth one of the first, if not the first.” Schopenhauer characterizes the poems as the “allerliebsten litterarischen Fabeln” (Parega, p. 255).With the owner’s inscription “Catherine de Courlande” on the title-page: Katharina Friederike Wilhelmine Benigna (1781-1839), Princess of Courland (western Latvia) and Duchess of Sagan. She is mainly known for her relationship with Klemens Metternich, the Austrian chancellor and negotiator at the Vienna Congress in 1813. Fine copy of a well-printed literary first edition in an attractive binding and with an interesting provenance.l Brunet V, col. 1512 (“belle édition”); E. Cotarelo y Mori, Iriarte y su época (Madrid 1897); R. Merrit Cox, Thomas de Iriarte (New York 1972); Palau, p. 161 .