Le Roman d’un Cancre

Jules Girardin’s “The Novel of a Dunce” (“Le Roman d’un Cancre”) is one of the rare and richly designed publications dating back to the late 19th century. The book was published in 1883 in Paris in the French language. The work is a satirical-pedagogical novel that reflects the school realities of France of that period through the portrayal of a lazy, underperforming student. Using comical and morally instructive episodes, the author critiques the education system and its formalistic approach, while also addressing issues of moral upbringing and social disparities. The illustrations lend vivid visual tones to the work, enhancing both its humorous and didactic content. This publication is of interest as a literary monument of 19th-century French pedagogical thought and is regarded as one of the valuable exhibits in the Rare Books Collection of our library.