The Little Prince. Antoine de. Saint- Exupery.

First edition in English, a unique presentation copy with double inscription and an original drawing. On the half-title, in ink and watercolour, the author has added a half-page drawing depicting the Little Prince, his scarf flying in the wind, standing in a barren landscape labelled “Terre”, the sky with stars and moon above. In a speech bubble, the Prince remarks “Il faut être absolument fou pour avoir choisi cette planète-là! Elle n’est sympathique que la nuit, quand les habitants dorment…” (“You’d have to be completely crazy to have chosen this planet. It is only pleasant at night when the inhabitants are asleep…”). Beneath, Sainte-Exupéry has added another lengthy inscription: “Le Petit Prince avait tort. Il y a sur la terre des habitants dont la droiture, la générosité de coeur consolent de l’avarice et de l’egoïsme des autres. Par example Dorothy Barclay … Avec mon plus amical souvenir Antoine de Saint-Exupéry” (“The Little Prince was wrong. There are on earth some inhabitants whose straightforwardness, sweetness, and generosity of heart make up for the avarice and egotism of the others. For example, Dorothy Barclay … With fondest remembrance Antoine de Saint-Exupéry”). “And what do you do with five-hundred millions of stars?”

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