THE WORKS OF MR. FRANCIS RABELAIS, Doctor In Physick, Containing Five Books of...Gargantua and Pantagruel, Together with the Pantagrueline Prognostication, the Oracle of the Divine Bacbuc, and response of the bottle; Hereunto are annexed the Navigations unto the Sounding Isle and the Isle of Apdests: as likewise the Philosophical cream with a Limousin Epistle. [Translated by Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty]

London: Grant Richards, 1904. 2 volumes. First edition of the W. Heath Robinson illustrated Rabelais, the large paper issue of a book published nearly two decades later in the octavo format. A copy with fine provenance, the Litchfield copy with signatures and his armorial bookplates. With 100 full-page black and white illustrations by W. Heath Robinson, with numerous illustrations in the text, title-pages printed in black and red, full-page photogravure plates at the front, pictorial end-papers printed in red. 4to, publisher's full white polished buckram, the covers ruled and decorated in gilt, the spines fully gilt decorated and lettered. xlii, 377; xliv, 350 pp. A fine set, the cloth clean and with very little evidence of age but for some very light mellowing to the spine panels. FIRST EDITION, LARGE PAPER ISSUE, AND A PLEASING AND HANDSOME SET OF THIS TIMELESS WORK BY ONE OF THE GREATEST WRITERS OF ALL TIME. THIS EDITION IS WONDERFULLY ILLUSTRATED BY W. HEATH ROBINSON AND IS CONSIDERED A CLASSIC. AN "EXTRAVAGANT EDITION". "For most English readers Rabelais has taken the very form and pressure of his eccentric, full-blooded translator, and doubtless would have smiled upon the joyous excess to which Urquhart, with the aid of Cotgrave's lustily Rabelaisian Deictionary (1611) carried his verbal gymnastics" (OHEL).
"One of the most perfect transfusions of an author from one language into another that ever man accomplished. In point of style Urquhart was Rabelais incarnate, and in his enjoyment of the verbal resources, whether of science or pseudo-science or slang, he almost surpassed Rabelais himself" (DNB).
The original owner of these volumes, E. Hubert Litchfield was a noted personage. He was author of works relating to travel and adventure and was, quite significantly, a collector of fine and important books and manuscripts. His collection was sold by Sotheby's (Parke-Bernet) in December 1951. These volumes, with Mr. Litchfield's bookplates were sold in that sale. Both his signatures and armorial bookplates are within. The books have been privately owned for many years prior to their offering here.