Oeuvres/Related Works Taking the Bastille - New York, P. F. Collier & Son, n.d., The Works of Alexandre Dumas in Thirty Volumes (vol. 9), blue cloth, gilt spine
From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: The sequel to "Le Collier de la Reine," and in its turn followed by : "La Comtesse de Charny." This (Ange Pitou) was to have been written with Auguste Maquet, who doubtless helped a little with the first plan, but the financial difficulties which parted the two men left Dumas to his own resources. Pressed by the publishers or the editors, he drew upon his boyhood's memories, and undoubtedly some of his finest passages in the work are those which reveal to us the inhabitants and the life of the district of Villers-Cotterets and its forest. Moreover the contrast of these with the turmoil in Paris is both artistic and effective.
Historically the period dealt with is that of the weeks immediately preceding and succeeding the fall of the Bastille in 1789.
This romance was very hastily and abruptly brought to a conclusion on a note of tragedy. Dumas gives as a reason the imposition of the stamp duty upon papers which published stories as feuilletons.
It first appeared serially in "La Presse."
Original edition : Paris, Cadot, 8 vols., 8vo., 1853. (1).
(1) So says Parran, but the Reed Dumas Collection includes a set of the Cadot Volumes, all of which bear the date of 1851; also a Belgian set: "Librairie du Panthéon." 7 vols.. all of 1851. (And see note on page 272.)
The pagination of the original edition is :—
Vol. I.... pp. 319 Vol. V. ... pp. 326
Vol. II.... pp. 322 Vol. VI.... pp. 306
Vol. III. ... pp. 313 Vol. VII. ... pp. 305
Vol. IV. ... pp. 303 Vol. VIII. ... pp. 334
In each case the table of contents is additional.
First illustrated edition : Paris, Dufour et Mulat, large 8vo., with 27 engravings, 1857.
It now comprises two volumes in the standard Calmann-Lévy edition, and one in the same firm's "Musée Littéraire." In Le Vasseur's "Alexandre Dumas Illustré" it forms part of Vol. VI.
References :—
Dumas: Foreword to "La Comtesse de Charny."
Simon (Gustave): "Histoire d'une Collaboration : Dumas et Maquet."
Parigot: "Alexandre Dumas," pp. 123-24; 131; 147.
Parigot: "Alexandre Dumas et l'Histoire," in the '"Revue de Paris," July 15th, 1902. Parran: "Bibliographie d'Alexandre Dumas," page 61. Glinel: "Alexandre Dumas et Son Œuvre," page 430.
Principal English Translations :—
"Taking the Bastille," "Parlour library;" London, Simms and MacIntyre (later Hodgson), 2 vols., 1847 (?). This date cannot be correct, though both Harris (in "First English Translations") and the British Museum Catalogue give it ; probably it is a misprint for 1857. It was in any case reprinted in 1859.
"Taking the Bastille;" London, Clarke, 2 vols., 12mo., 1860.
"Taking the Bastille;" London, Routledge, 2 vols., 186—. Probably a reprint of the "Parlour Library" edition. It has been frequently reprinted, and is now in the "Aramis Edition."
"Ange Pitou;" London, Dent, 2 vols., cr. 8vo., illustrated, 1894. Reprinted, same firm, 1907 and 1926.
"Taking the Bastille;" London, Collins, 18mo., illustrated, 1917. Reprinted from Routledge's edition.
