The Fortunate Union, A Romance, translated from the Chinese Original, with Notes and Illustrations to which is added, The Sorrows of Han: A Chinese Tragedy.

London.: Oriental Translation Fund.. 1st thus.. 1829.. 2 volumes. Volume I: black & white frontispiece "Fac-simile of the Title-Page to Haoukewchuen, or the Fortunate Union". A further page with borders decorated and printed in blue announce: Oriental Translation Fund Instituted 1828 under the patronage of His Most Gracious Majesty George the Fourth and states that 'This copy was printed for the Most Noble the Marquess of Anglesey, A subscriber to the Oriental Translation Fund.' Some foxing preliminary leaves, one gathering loosening. xxiv + 258pp and errata.

Volume II: Frontispiece map showing "the Route of the Embassy in 1816 from Peking to Tengchang Foo along the Grand Canal", vi + 262pp, appendix and bound together with 31pp 'Report of the Proceedings of the Second General Meeting of the Subscribers to the Oriental Translation Fund with the Prospectus, A list of the Oriental Translation Committee, a Report of the Committee and Regulations and a List of Works in the Press.

Generally very clean and sound. Contemporary dark green cloth, expertly rebacked with the original cases repaired and new endpapers of Bemboka hand-made paper. The original spines have been re-laid together with the original paper title label. A very pleasing copy of a scarce set. 25.5 x 16cm. Hao-ch'iu chuan "The pleasing history" or "The fortunate union" is a Chinese "caizi jiaren" (talent and beauty) novel published in the 17th Century. The author is known only under the name "Man of the Teaching of Names" The identity of the author and exact date of publishing are not known. According to Philippe Postel, author of "Les Traductions Françaises du Haoqiu Zhuan," the most commonly stated date of authorship is 1683, at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty.

The translator John Francis Davis was Governor of Hong Kong in the period 1844 - 48. At the beginning of his career he served on Lord Amherst's Mission to China and after spending the best part of his career in the service of the East India Company he succeeded Lord Pottinger as Governor of Hong Kong. A scholarly man he did not fit into this role, his knowledge and appreciation of Chinese culture and life being very unpopular with the European community. The frostiness was such that when he finally departed Hong Kong the European community showed their displeasure by not acknowledging his departure in any way. .