VIE DE GEORGE WASHINGTON — A. N. Girault, 1836**
*Quatrième Édition (Fourth Edition) | Henry Perkins, Philadelphia | Rare Antique French-Language Biography*
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**About This Book**
This is a genuine 1836 fourth edition of *Vie de George Washington*, translated from the English into French by A. N. Girault (*Maître de Français*) and published by Henry Perkins at 134 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. The copyright page confirms it was entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1835 by Henry Perkins, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The book is a French-language biography of George Washington, translated from the English original by Anna C. Reed and dedicated *à la jeunesse américaine* — to the youth of America. Girault designed it specifically as a French language teaching text for American students, written in what contemporary reviewers called "a perspicuous style, easy and flowing French." The book was endorsed by the *Charleston Courier*, the *Southern Rose* of Charleston, and the *Annals of Education*, all in 1835 — all three endorsements are printed in full in the front matter of this copy.
The preface to the fourth edition explains Girault's intent to publish a series of works under the title *Bibliothèque de l'étudiant de la langue Française* — this biography was to be the second in the series.
The text is illustrated with wood engravings throughout, including a striking full-page scene of Washington at Valley Forge in prayer.
**This is a 190-year-old book with genuine historical significance** — it is both an early American imprint and a primary document in the history of French language education in the United States.
Why This Book Is Collectible**
- Published in Philadelphia in 1836 — a genuine early American imprint, nearly 190 years old
- Fourth edition of a work that went through at least ten editions, demonstrating its wide use in American schools
- Dedicated to the youth of America — a fascinating artifact of early American French language education
- Endorsed by three prominent 1835 publications, all reprinted in the front matter
- Wood engraved illustrations throughout, including a Valley Forge scene
- Sought by collectors of Washingtoniana, early American imprints, French language history, and 19th-century educational books
