The Beauty and the Monster. A Comedy.
Madame de Genlis[Caroline-Stéphanie-Félicité]
Worcester, 1785
 
First edition, first printing of the first American appearance of Beauty and the Beast.
 
Contemporary stab-sewn wrappers made from a repurposed almanac sheet with some soiling and worming, spine losses, moderate wear and creasing along extremities, light damp-staining in gutter. Pages largely clean. Overall, a Good copy housed in a custom blue cloth slip case and chemise. A scarce survival. 
 
A tale certainly as old as time, with the version entering our modern zeitgeist originating from the 18th century writer, Madame Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. Her 1740 publication became the model for subsequent versions including this theatrical adaptation by Madame de Genlis.
 
The publisher of this edition, Isaiah Thomas, was the founder of the American Antiquarian Society, and one of the most important publishers in the newly formed United States. He printed many children’s books intended for educational purposes, including this edition of Beauty and the Beast.
 
Ref: 
 
Fairy Tale as Myth/Myth as Fairy Tale, Jack Zipes
 
Course of Study for Normal School Pupils on Literature for Children, Julia Augusta Scofield Harron, Corinne Bacon, John Cotton Dana