The Silesische Robinson is a very rare Dutch translation of Christian Stieffs Schlesischer Robinson Oder Frantz Anton Wentzels v. C. eines schlesischen Edelmanns Denkwürdiges Leben, first published in Breslau and Leipzig in 1723/24, one of the first pseudo Robinson works in the German language. In his preface, the author Christian Stieff (1675-1751) sets about to provide the story of an exemplary life worth emulating to the noble youth that he imagined would read his work. It tells the story of Frantzs journey from his Silesian home through Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the Cape of Good Hope, East India, his capture and subsequent transport to Haiti as prisoner. Luckily he manages to regain his freedom and subsequently serves as seaman on board a pirate ship and journeys to England and Russia. As fantastic as the storyline sounds, Stieff managed to add plenty of details of contemporary social life and even political policy in Europe, such as the measures taken against the spread of of the plague in Vienna. Stieff was a respected school rector and poet from Breslau.
With the bookplate of Buijnsters-Smets on the front paste-down of volume 1 and an owner's inscription on the first free endleaves of both volumes of M. Buisman. The bindings show some signs of wear. Otherwise in very good condition. Buisman 2499; cf. Ullrich IV, *8a; Staverman C 2b; STCN 173970028 (2 copies); WorldCat 69051291 (3 copies).