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 fillet 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 indeed 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
Lot description modified on 10/14/2026 at 3:10 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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