Histoires facetieuses et moralles, assemblées et mises au jour par J. N. D. P., avec quelques histoires tragiques.
Second edition, further augmented by the author. Rare, no earlier edition can be found at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France or the British Library. Vignette on title. Red and black title pages. On page 201 there is a new title page "histoires tragiques de notre temps arrivées en Hollande. Par J. N. D. P. Troisième édition. Leiden, idem, 1669."
Half red calf binding with wide corners, early 20th century. Smooth spine, title lengthwise, double fillet at head and foot of spine. Date at foot, double fillet in blind on covers. Fine copy.
The work comprises 126 short stories, most of them amusing and comical, often touching on morals and gallantry. The second part contains 28 stories that took place in Holland, with more lugubrious tales (stories of crimes, beheadings, thieves, dramas). The narratives are in a style reminiscent of that employed by 17th-century historians; moreover, all the tales are satires or critiques of contemporary morals (often ending with a brief moral), and in this respect they are quite precious for the countless insights they provide into life, morality and customs in the 17th century, particularly in Holland (though all of Europe passes through them). The first edition was published at the same address in 1663. Barbier III, 844. Brunet III, 213. Parival (1605-1669), French author and professor at the University of Leiden, also wrote Les délices de la Hollande and Histoires des misères de ce temps.
