Description
PSICHARI (Ernest).
The Centurion’s Journey.
Paris: Louis Conard, 1916. — In-16, 191 x 127: portrait, (2 ff.), XXX pp., (1 f.), 247 pp., illustrated cover. Black Jansenist morocco, ribbed spine, double gilt line on the inside, gilt head, untrimmed, cover and spine preserved (Devauchelle).
A rare, posthumous first edition of the second book by Ernest Psichari (1883–1914), a lieutenant and writer, featuring a portrait of the author as a frontispiece and a preface by Paul Bourget.
This novel, through the account of a journey to Mauritania, depicts the author’s spiritual evolution. ‘*Le Voyage du Centurion* tells of the awakening of the believer within this soldier, and how the religion of duty leads this fervent advocate of discipline to all forms of discipline’ (p. XI). Psichari puts forward a bold vision: ‘The novelist claims the right to combine the Gospel and the sword, by virtue of a text which proves that there can, and must, be a Christian doctrine of war’ (p. V).
One of 70 numbered copies on Holland paper (no. 53).
A very fine copy, bound by Laurenchet.
Provenance:
Georges Degryse, with bookplate.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale
Claude Mozis Library – Black Africa and the African diaspora
Auction location
Auction time
10/21/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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