Amsterdam

Second edition, issued with the date of the original, which bears the imprint of Michallet in Paris (cf. Willems 1899. Blackmer 325 (our edition) and 326 (third, 1679). Atabey 222 (third edition).

Illustrated with a frontispiece and, at the end of the volume, a large folding view of the battle of Khotin.

Full polished brown calf, spine with five raised bands, decorated in blind with fillets and panel compartments, gilt rolls to the spine ends, covers framed with triple fillet and blind palmette tools, comb-marbled endpapers, gilt garland frame to the pastedowns, double gilt fillets to the edges, red-speckled edges, gilt garland frame to the pastedowns, 19th-century binding.

Some rubbing to the spine and to the left margin of the upper cover.

This account is here complete in a single volume.

It focuses both on the political action of two members of the Köprülü family who held the grand vizierate (Mehmed Pasha, from 1656 to 1661; Ahmed Pasha, from 1661 to 1676), under Mehmed IV, and on the defeat inflicted on the Ottoman armies by John Sobieski at the battle of Khotin (Moldavia, 11 November 1673).

Provenance: from the library of G. Lenfant, with his label pasted at the head of a flyleaf as an ex-libris.

Third edition, revised, corrected, and enlarged with several important Additions by the author published posthumously, and with Remarks by the Translator (our own translation), with the portrait of John Locke by Godfrey Kneller, engraved by François Morellon de La Cave.

Contemporary full brown calf, spine with five raised bands decorated with gilt compartments, brown morocco lettering-piece, triple fillet border to covers in blind, red edges, marbled pastedowns and endpapers.

Headcaps missing, surface losses to covers and one larger loss to upper left corner of back cover, corners bumped and worn, rubbing to edges with a small loss at foot of front cover, ink gift inscription to first blank leaf.

In this copy: light marginal dampstaining to early leaves and to pp. 53-58 and pp. 463-472, not affecting text.

This volume is enriched with ink annotations: "n°23 =" to verso of front free endpaper, another inscription to recto of second endpaper, and several ink corrections to margins and text at pp. 3, 125, 127, 148, and 269.

Edition published one year after the original, illustrated with four fine copper-engraved plates by Charles Eisen depicting Nordic types (Icelandic women, a bear hunt, Samoyeds, a Laplander in a sleigh) engraved by Le Mire, one folding map by Bellin, thirteen maps, plans, or views (eight of them folding) engraved by Croissey, as well as a charming engraved title vignette and a headpiece by Le Gouaz.

See Sabin, 37616; Chadenat, 1633; Boucher de la Richarderie, I, 380.

Full mottled calf binding, smooth spine richly gilt in compartments decorated with gilt fleurons and geometric motifs, sometimes slightly rubbed, red morocco label, restorations to spine and joints, gilt roll tooling on the caps, red-speckled citron edges, gilt fillets on the board edges; late eighteenth-century binding.

A tall, wide-margined copy.

Provenance: copy from the Château de Menneval, with an engraved bookplate mounted on the pastedown.

Third edition, the second issued under this title, partly original as it includes several new memoirs and the general tariff of Holland.

See Sabin 47557. Cioranescu 35613. Kress 3019. Not in Goldsmiths or Einaudi. See INED 2306 for the "Grand trésor historique et politique du florissant commerce des Hollandois" (1712).

Amsterdam, Du Villard, Changuion, 1718, 8vo,

Full mottled tan calf, spine with raised bands decorated with gilt fillets, garlands and floral tools (partly faded), red morocco title label, gilt rolls at the head and tail, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt fillet on board edges, red edges, one lower corner bumped, others slightly rubbed, contemporary binding.

First edition in English.
Elegant pastiche marbled paper Bradel binding by Thomas Boichot, black morocco title-piece, covers preserved (small marginal repairs to upper cover).
Autograph inscription signed by Josselin de Jong to head of upper cover.

New collected edition of the works of this German-born Neo-Latin poet, one of a few copies printed on deluxe Dutch paper (see Brunet III, 1180–1181. Cf. G. Oberlé, "Poètes néo-latins", pp. 134–137; Van Tieghem, p. 91 ff.).

The first volume includes a portrait of the author.

Full ivory vellum bindings, spines with five raised bands richly decorated with gilt floral and ornamental rolls, red morocco title labels, gilt dentelle frame to covers, gilt plaques with the legend "Minerva Dordracena" at the center of each board, sprinkled edges, red silk ties (mostly missing), contemporary bindings.

A fine edition according to Brunet, who notes: “There are copies on Dutch paper.” It is considered the best collected edition of the works of this German-born Neo-Latin poet.

Published by Burmann, who added various other texts relating to Lotichius and his work.

Born on 2 November 1528 in Schlüchtern, Vetera Hesse, Peter Lotich, known in Latin as Lotichius Secundus, "was the nephew of Peter Lotich, abbot of Schlüchtern, who founded a college and was among the first in Germany to throw off the yoke of scholasticism before converting to Lutheranism, of which he became an ardent supporter. The nephew adopted the name Secundus to distinguish himself from his uncle, who had overseen his early education. He later came under the influence of Melissus, Melanchthon, and Camerarius, all of whom encouraged his exceptional poetic talent. For a time, he bore arms under the banner of the Schmalkaldic League, and later accompanied the nephews of Daniel Stribar, Dean of Würzburg, on their travels.

He studied medicine for several years in France and Italy. In Montpellier, Lecluse introduced him to Rondelet, who saved him from the Inquisition for having eaten meat during Lent. He returned from Padua with a doctorate and, in the service of the Elector Palatine, declined the chair of poetry at Marburg. Instead, he took a position as professor of medicine in Heidelberg, where he died in 1560, poisoned by a love potion prepared by a woman for a faithless lover and mistakenly consumed by Lotichius. His biographer, J. Hagen, named him prince of modern Latin poets. ‘The most compelling body of poetry, where the author’s life occupies the greatest place and holds the most interest, is that left by Lotichius Secundus, unanimously regarded as the finest Neo-Latin poet Germany has produced (…) Student, lover, traveller, soldier, professor, he passed through this difficult, wandering, adventurous and often perilous life with his gaze fixed on a single ideal: poetic beauty; and let us add: the glory conferred by beautiful verse’. Van Tieghem, p. 91.” Cf. Gérard Oberlé.

One of the rare copies on deluxe Dutch paper, finely bound with the emblem of the Dutch city of Dordrecht.

A printed and manuscript leaf bound before the title of volume I attests that these two handsome volumes were awarded as a prize (likely for Latin composition) to a student of the Dordrecht Gymnasium, Heinrich Van Dam.

Bookplates of Charles Clément Roemers (Maastricht, 18th century) and Dominique Goytino.

One of the rare copies on deluxe Dutch paper, finely bound with the emblem of the Dutch city of Dordrecht.

First edition of the bilingual Greek-Latin text of Iamblichus' Life of Pythagoras by Ludolf Küster from the manuscript held at the Laurentian Library. The facing Latin translation is the work of Frédéric Ulrich Obrecht and Konrad Rittershausen. Bound at the end is Porphyry’s Life of Pythagoras.

Illustrated with a large frontispiece portrait of Pythagoras, based on a coin from the collection of Fulvio Orsini.

Contemporary Dutch gilt-panelled vellum boards, spine with 5 raised bands and gilt ornaments with the arms of the city of Amsterdam, large gilt arms of the city of Amsterdam on each board within double gilt floral borders around sides both with incorporated coat of arms of Amsterdam within vegetal ornaments, armorial corner ornaments, speckled edges. Vellum darkened, a 2.5 cm split to the middle of the upper joint, one abrasion and a pale mark to the upper cover, some gilt tooling partially faded,traces of ties, scattered foxing.

Magnificent copy of the Neoplatonist biographies of Pythagoras by Iamblichus and Porphyry, with the arms of the city of Amsterdam featuring the Stedemaagd, the allegorical female figure of the city flanked by cherubs.

Second edition of Lucas’s third journey to the Near East, undertaken between 1714 and 1717 (first published in 1729); cf. Gay, 2122. Chadenat, 5090. Atabey 734. Blackmer, 1038.

The illustrations include two folding maps (Anatolia and surrounding regions by de l’Isle; Lower Egypt and the course of the Nile by Lucas) and 32 plates outside the text: monuments, picturesque views, architectural plans, archaeological artefacts, various inscriptions, etc.

Contemporary half tawny sheep, smooth spines ruled in gilt with triple fillets, headcaps stained, some rubbing, marbled paper boards, sprinkled edges, some wear to the edges of the first volume. 19th-century bindings.

Pleasant internal condition.

According to Brunet (III, 1204), the text was written by Abbé Banier.

A soldier, naturalist, collector and dealer, Paul Lucas (Rouen, 1664 – Madrid, 1737) showed a marked passion for travel from an early age.

He first left for the Levant to trade in precious stones, joining the Venetian army in 1688 and becoming captain of a ship armed against the Turks. Returning to France in 1696 with a collection of antiquities and coins he sold to the King's Cabinet, he was commissioned by Louis XIV to undertake journeys that would make him famous. From 1699 to 1703, he visited Egypt, Cyprus, Persia and Syria. His second expedition, from 1704 to 1708, took him to Greece, Macedonia, Asia Minor, the Holy Land, Egypt and Libya. In 1714, he was entrusted with a new mission in the Levant: he travelled through Rumelia and Thessaly, passed through Constantinople and Smyrna before visiting Syria, Palestine and Egypt. Departing from Cairo, he returned to Paris in December 1717.

First edition of the complete works of Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède and de Montesquieu, edited by François Richer under the supervision of the author's son. Volumes 1 and 2 contain the celebrated Spirit of the Laws, introduced by a headpiece depicting the 1753 Dassier medal and illustrated with two maps—a world map and one of Europe—in the second volume. This copy is enriched with a frontispiece, painted by Jacques de Sève and engraved by Claude-Antoine Littret, from the 1767 London edition, as well as 10 additional pages containing the "Additions" in volume 3.

Regarded as canonical, this 1758 edition was, according to Plassan and André Masson, "prepared from the author's text and the changes found among his papers."

Contemporary bindings in speckled brown calf, smooth spines richly gilt, brown morocco lettering and numbering pieces, triple gilt fillet to boards with fleurons at corners, double gilt fillet to board edges, comb marbled blue edges, turn-ins tooled with gilt pomegranates and fleurons, shell marbled endpapers and pastedowns. The pastedowns of this copy bear a library stamp on each volume and two armorial bookplates on volumes 1 and 3: the first bearing the coat of arms of Prince Auguste Marie Raymond d'Arenberg, Count de La Marck; the second that of his son Prince Ernst Engelbert Louis Marie d'Arenberg.

Some minor rubbing and surface scratches to boards, small tear to upper board margin of volume 1, headcap slightly detached on volume 1, wormhole to tail of spine of volume 2, corners bumped.

Some scattered foxing. In volume 1, small wormholes to pp. v and 1 margins. In volume 3, tiny marginal tear to p. 115 and small marginal hole to p. 175.

Page ix appears twice in volume 1, the second time facing p. lxxxvi. Some manuscript annotations, notably on the half-title of volume 3.

 (our own translation)

First edition.

Full marbled calf binding, spine with five raised bands and decorated rolls, red morocco title label, boards ruled in blind, marbled paper pastedowns and endpapers, a slight dampstain to corner of first few leaves, a tear to first folding plate and one of the ensign plates not affecting either illustration. 

With a frontispiece by Lamsveld and 31 superb plates all hand-colored except the last two of the ensigns, numerous woodcuts throughout.

Rare first edition of this naval dictionary, the first in France to contain a definition of the yacht (exh. cat. Loisirs sur l'eau : histoire de la plaisance en France 1640–1940). The full-page plates are finely heightened in colours and include ten different vessel types, navigational instruments, diagrams, naval ensigns, details of fastenings and construction, and a handsome plate with the arms of the dedicatee.

New edition, partly original, revised and corrected, illustrated with 4 engraved plates out of text and an engraved title-page in the first volume.

Contemporary full mottled calf, smooth spines gilt with a repeated floral tool (the decorative motifs partly faded), red morocco lettering-pieces, rubbing to the spines, gilt rolls to the head- and tailcaps, one headcap shaved, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt fillets to the board edges, three corners softened, red edges, a few small snags to the board edges, bookplates to the pastedowns, bindings of the period.

The title-page and plates were engraved by Benoît Louis Henriquez after drawings by Jollain. Cohen 440. See Atabey for the first edition of 1743, unillustrated (two issues); Leonora Navari, who did not see this 1776 edition, considers the first illustrated edition to be that of 1897, with plates by E. P. Millio. Not in Blackmer.

First illustrated edition of this delightful piece of “turquerie”.

"Godard was a dramatist who also wrote 'Il Califfo di Bagdad'.

This work was several times reprinted ; the Frankfurt 1769 edition contained [comme celle-ci] a dedication to madame Dethou [sic] which caught the public eye and probably contributed to its popularity". Cf. Leonora Navari.

New edition illustrated with 66 plates and maps printed outside the text, most of them folding: 3 frontispieces, 39 plates and 24 maps, including a world map and charts of the various islands, some printed with coastal profiles, as well as views of ports (Manila, Bahia, Scio), of islands (the Canaries, Cape Verde), monuments, a shipwreck, battle scenes, indigenous peoples, flora (apricot, cocoa), and fauna (birds, fish), together with a curious depiction of the “hippopotamus or sea-horse” (vol. 3, p. 361).

Cf. Sabin, 18382. Borba de Moraes, I, 243-244. Leclerc (1867), 416. Cordier, Bibl. Indosinica, 1459-1460. Boucher de La Richarderie, I, 121-122. Hoefer, XII, 881-885.

Contemporary full blond calf, spines with five raised bands ruled in gilt and richly decorated gilt panels, red morocco lettering-pieces and morocco volume labels in bronze or brown, gilt rolls to the caps, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt fillets to board edges.

Some restorations to the spines, which show slight differences in their tooling; a few scuffs to the boards and two softened corners.

First edition of this particularly engaging monograph, written by the Dutch pastor Gerard Croese (1642–1710), and translated into English as early as 1696 (though never into French).

A few minor spots of foxing.

Full green vellum binding, the spine faded and tooled with small gilt ornaments, the title-piece largely lost leaving the spine without lettering, edges sprinkled green, a contemporary binding.

Partly informed by letters and documents supplied by William Sewel (1653–1720, himself the author in 1717 of an excellent Histori van de Opkompste, Aanwas en Voortgang der Christenen bekend by den naam van Quakers), it offers an account of the movement at a particularly significant moment in its history, marked both by a certain easing of persecution in Great Britain (the Toleration Act of 1689) and by emigration to the United States.

Book I concerns the life and work of George Fox, while Books II and III are devoted to William Penn.

Second edition, partly original, as enlarged (cf. Barbier II, 241: gives "Deslandes". Polak 1130. INED 737. See Sabin 19744 for the first English edition published the same year.)

Full brown sheep binding, smooth spine gilt-ruled and decorated with gilt compartments and floral tools, rubbing to the joints, gilt rolls on the head- and tailcaps partly dulled, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt fillets on the board edges faint in places, red edges, a period binding.

Some repairs to the spine.

Pages 191 to 252 contain the "Mémoire historique sur les Indes Braves, et les Forbans François du Golfe de Darien".

This edition appeared in the same year as the original; the historical memoir on the "Indes Braves" and the French buccaneers of the Gulf of Darien (Caribbean), which is not by Boureau-Deslandes, is published here for the first time.

"Contains many interesting notices relating to America, particularly the design of Cromwell to become possessor of that country, the expedition of Thomas Gage, etc." (cf. Sabin).

The Gulf of Darien lies in the Caribbean Sea between the Panamanian and Colombian coasts. "Place tenue par la marine chez les peuples de l'antiquité et en France depuis le commencement de la monarchie (...) Critique du luxe, éloge des manufactures : l'une des plus graves conséquences de la révolution de l'Edit de Nantes fut le départ d'ouvriers ; il faudrait imiter Edouard IV qui fit venir en Angleterre des ouvriers spécialisés" Cf. INED.

New edition, partially original as it is augmented with three new stories and the life of the author (previously published in 1744; before this date, editions included only 10 stories).
The false title of the second volume bears the title "Diverse Works," these two volumes, although sold separately, could be placed after the six-volume Don Quixote. The original title "Exemplary Novels" was used concurrently in other editions.
Translation by Abbé Martin de Chassonville. It is illustrated with a portrait of the author engraved by Gentot after Kent, and 13 plates, of which 12 are engraved by Aveline after Folkema, and one by Daudel. The engravings are charming and pleasing, with typical interiors (pharmacy, hospital...).
Full mottled calf bindings, smooth spines adorned with gilded fleurons, gilded rolls at the tails, grenadine morocco title pieces, brown morocco volume number pieces, triple gilded fillet borders on the covers enriched with gilded angular fleurons, gilded dentelles on the endpapers, all edges gilded, one bumped corner, some rubbing on the joints and covers, contemporary binding.

New edition. The journal first appeared in volume form in 1712. Title pages in red and black. Statement of fifth edition.
Heraldic wheat sheaf device of Maynon de Farcheville in gilt compartments on spine, and bookplate of the same on pastedowns, with three wheat sheaves. Vincent Michel Maynon, president of the fourth chamber of inquiries at the Parliament of Paris, lord of Farcheville.
Contemporary full brown sheep, speckled and glazed. Spine with five raised bands, red morocco title labels, brown morocco volume labels, gilt compartments and floral ornaments. All edges speckled red. Headcap of volume I partly lacking, that of volume III at head partly worn. Lacks to head of volumes V and VI. Volume I, lack to upper joint at head. 5 corners slightly bumped. Very fresh paper. Rather handsome copy.
The Spectator was one of the first English periodicals to appear daily from 1711 to 1712. Intended for the Middle Class, Addison thought that despite its print run of 4,000 copies daily, it was read by approximately 60,000 Londoners. The Spectator was very popular and reprinted many times during the eighteenth century. It cast an ironic eye on English society and durably influenced the press through its innovation. Each issue ran around 2,000 words, with Addison and Steele sharing editorial duties. The Spectator in its current form is today a well-known English newspaper.

French first edition illustrated with 3 repeated frontispieces, one portrait, 6 folding maps and 26 folding plates, being 36 figures in total. The complete set of illustrations is present whereas most copies lack one or several plates. The Spanish original dates from 1609. "This translation is more complete than the original: the third volume is entirely composed of the history of conquests made by the Dutch in this country". Chadenat, 739p.
Armorial copy with arms stamped on the upper covers and cipher on the lower covers. Unidentified.
Contemporary full brown speckled sheep binding. Spine with raised bands decorated with central fleuronné lozenges and roulettes on the bands. Brown sheep title label and volume labels. Arms and ciphers stamped on the covers with faded gilding or only traces of gilding. If the arms were gilt, the ciphers on the lower covers were stamped in blind. Traces of rubbing. 3 corners slightly bumped. Slight traces of dampstaining in upper margin on the first 3 leaves of volume I and the preliminary leaves, recurring sporadically on some leaves. Same on the title of volume 2 and some leaves and plates. Same in volume III, on the frontispiece, the endleaves, and appearing sporadically on some leaves and plates then recurring again, etc. Some foxing and browned pages. 3 plates have small paper patches on verso filling tears. Nibbling on the upper cover of volume II, and the lower cover of volume III.
Good armorial copy.
Archipelago of 632 islands in Indonesia, these Moluccan islands where spices were found very early attracted the covetousness of Europeans. This is one of the most important works for the history of the Philippine Islands, with precious documents on the navigators Drake and Magellan.
"Although this work is, for the most part, purely historical, one can nevertheless gather quite precious information on the physical state of the Moluccan Islands, on their productions, on indigenous customs, at the time of conquest". Boucher de la Richarderie, V, 184p.

First edition of the French translation. First published in English in 1712 under the title A cruising voyage round the world. Illustrated with 2 engraved titles, 14 engraved plates and 7 maps including 2 large format (Paraguay and Chile - mainland Peru and Brazil and the Land of the Amazons) and a world map.
Bound in full brown sprinkled calf, spine elaborately gilt, gilt roulettes on the edges, all red speckled edges. Expertly restored (corners, upper and lower part of joints). Two small restored tears on the world map, not affecting the image.
Ex-libris in ink "Sr Remy" to the upper left margin of the title-page.
A tear to the world map, not affecting the engraving.
The book that brought fame to Alexander Selkirk and inspired the character of Robinson Crusoe.
English captain and privateer Woodes Rogers undertook his "Voyage Around the World" between 1708 and 1711 at the request of buccaneer William Dampier during the War of the Spanish Succession. This account written on his return narrates the many difficulties encountered by the fleet: desertions, mutinies, scurvy epidemic...
Especially contains the rescue of Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, after being marooned on the island of Más a Tierra in the Juan Fernández archipelago, more than six hundred kilometers from the Chilean coast. His ship stopped on this island to resupply with wood and water before returning to England after several failed attacks against Spanish fleet and cities in South America. Selkirk pointed out that the damaged ship needed to be refitted or it would likely sink. The captain refused and left the Scotsman on the deserted island. By the time Selkirk realized the absurdity and danger of his decision to stay there, it was too late, and the ship had already weighed anchor. Ironically, the ship later sunk, drowning half the crew. Four years and four months later, on February 2, 1709, Rogers and his crew landed on the island and met this "a Man cloth'd in goat skins, who look'd wilder than the first owners of them”. An engraving in our copy illustrates this chance encounter: "He had with him his clothes and bedding, with a firelock, some powder, bullets, and tobacco, a hatchet, a knife, a kettle, a bible, some practical pieces, and his mathematical instruments and books. He diverted and provided for himself as well as he could; but for the first eight months had much ado to bear up against Melancholy, and the Terror of being left alone in such a desolate place. He built two hutts cover'd them with long grass, and lin'd them with the skins of soats, which he kill'd with his gun as he wanted, so long as his powder lasted […] At his first coming on board us, he had so much forgot his language for want of use, that we could scarce understand him, for he seem'd to speak his words by halves”. Captain William Dampier who was there during Selkirk's abandonment, encouraged Rogers to hire him as foreman and the unfortunate Scot returned to England with them.
Rogers' account was a great popular success, mainly thanks to Selkirk's recue story. A close friend of Rogers, author Daniel De Foe used this incredible story and extended Robinson's stay on a desert island to twenty-eight years. His novel published in 1719 was a huge bestseller and remains one of the greatest works of literature to this day.

Rare first edition, illustrated with an engraved title page and 51 emblems by Adriaen van der Venne, engraved by Wil. Passe, J. Gelle, Cri. Blon, A. Poel and J.S. [Swelinck]. A reprint was issued in 1661; this first edition circulated only among a privileged elite and was not made available to the general public.
Late 18th- or early 19th-century caramel calf-backed binding with small corners. Spine with raised bands and gilt fillets. Brown morocco title label. Upper joint split at head and tail. Some rubbing. Margin of p. 108 restored over 6 cm. A few faint spots of foxing.

The finest edition of this work, the original having appeared in 1756. It comprises 84 plates, 61 of which are folding, compared to only 40 in the original, engraved in intaglio by Moitte, Patte and Tardieu, depicting military costumes, plans and profiles, and troop formations. Published by Abbé Perau, this edition is augmented with a biography (134pp.) and several pieces (letters...), it is better organized and superbly printed in large type.
Contemporary full marbled and glazed calf binding. Decorated raised spine, head and tail rolls. Red morocco title label and volume label. Double gilt fillet frame on boards. One tear at tail. One lower corner cut on volume 1. Small lack at head of volume II. One corner bumped on volume II. One scratch on upper board of volume II. One plate protruding in volume I and 2 in volume II, caused by improper folding. Despite some minor defects, a very handsome copy.

First Elzevirian edition. with title-frontispiece. Epistle to Cardinal Mazarin. Brunet (Manuel du libraire): "The first edition of this esteemed history is that of Paris, Edme Martin, 1661, but it is not sought after, while this one [...]". There exists a counterfeit of this Elzevier edition, it is less well printed and contains only 514pp.

Full red morocco binding 19th century (ca 1860) signed Belz-Niedrée. Spine with raised bands richly decorated with ornate compartments framed by triple fillets, roll-tooled at foot. Covers with interlace decoration in frame and complex geometric figures. Rich inner border. Gilt edges. Very fresh copy, with a slight yellow dampstain to one corner on the last 10 leaves. Dry stamp on the last endpaper: From G. Gancia. rare books. Kings road bright. 19th century engraved bookplate of D. C. M. and the motto: Advance with courage. This refers to Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks (1820-1894), first Baron Tweedmouth.
Very handsome copy perfectly executed by Belz-Niedrée.

New edition, but first in this form and under this title. At the end, catalogue of books printed by Jean-Frédéric Bernard.

Contemporary full marbled fawn calf binding. Spine with raised bands, decorated. Red morocco title-label. One lack at head. Narrow split to lower joint at head over 1cm. Rubbing. Handsome copy.
These memoirs first appeared as a supplement to the 1729 edition of the Adventures of Baron de Foeneste under the title "Secret History". They are a severe criticism of Henri III and his court and of the Catholics as much as a testimony to the anti-Protestant climate. After the publication of this pamphlet which was banned, d'Aubigné fled to Geneva.
"This edition is much closer to the original manuscript than that of 1729 established by the unscrupulous care of Le Duchat under the title Secret History" (cf. Agrippa d'Aubigné et son temps, p. 64).
Several pieces come to complete Aubigné's Memoirs, those of Frédéric-Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne, who was for a long time one of the souls of the Fronde against Richelieu and Louis XIII; they were composed by Aubertin his servant; is also joined a fragment of an account of the court of France by Priolo and the History of Madame de Mucy by Guillaume de Valdory. There is also a letter from Scarron to M. Fouquet written on the occasion of the dispute between Scarron and Gilles Boileau, brother of Nicolas Boileau Despréaux.

First edition. A title-frontispiece featuring the personification of justice. Specific title page and pagination for Receptarum juris utriusque regularum partitiones by Cousinio.

Contemporary full vellum binding with overlapping flaps. Smooth spine with title-label lacking. Vellum soiled overall. Good copy.

These Elements of Civil Law are the work of Professor of Law at Amsterdam Joannes Arnold Corvinus, Protestant minister and jurist. Before becoming a lawyer he was a Calvinist preacher. Close to Grotius, he was part of a group of legal writers sympathetic to Protestants who commented on reason of State.


 

The rare first French edition, translated by Jean-Baptiste Robinet, after the first English edition published in 1769. Four attractive separate engraved title pages. Changuion catalogue at the end of the third part. The edition shared in Paris with Le Jay appeared a few months later and does not have engraved titles.
Contemporary binding in full marbled brown sheep. Decorated raised-band spine. Beige morocco title label, tobacco morocco volume label. Triple fillet frame on boards. Loss to lower joint at foot of volume I. 3 corners bumped. Handsome copy, fresh overall.
Epistolary novel set in Canada. "The romantic customs of Canada and the manners of its inhabitants are described in this novel with great truth," Revue des Romans (1839). Frances Brooke (1724-1789), English woman of letters, lived in Canada where she had married an Anglican minister. A lieutenant goes to French Canada with the aim of establishing a settlement, and resides in Quebec, Montreal (of which he gives extensive descriptions). The lieutenant undertakes certain journeys in Canada, to New York, and shares his political reflections on the necessity of uniting the French and English, on the customs of the Hurons, etc. Very interesting novel about Canada around 1765 and the different colonies (definitive cession of French Canada to England in 1763).

Rare first edition, published anonymously.
Contemporary full marbled and polished calf binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title label. Traces of rubbing. Missing the half-title of the first part. Handsome copy.
Philosophical tale in which a young man, first raised in a cage then cast onto a desert island, is educated by nature at the age of 15. Each experience becomes a discovery, either about the world or about himself. This young man thus embodies the scientist of modern times, virgin before things. Facing nature and far from civilization, man is fundamentally good according to the novel, but nature itself is not exempt from evils that man is called upon to correct. The work thus stages an ideal nature in its relationship to man; it is like an experiment, that of the awakening of the senses and thought provoked by nature in an empty being. The second part projects the character into civilization and brings him into contact with his fellow men. In 1764, L'année littéraire suggests that the work could provide elements of response to the question of man's first knowledge: "Les amateurs de la philosophie moderne, c'est-à-dire de cette métaphysique qui veut remonter à l'origine des nos idées, débrouiller le chaos de notre être, cette sorte de lecteur sera porté à accueillir cet ouvrage..." ["Amateurs of modern philosophy, that is to say of that metaphysics which seeks to trace back to the origin of our ideas, to unravel the chaos of our being, this sort of reader will be inclined to welcome this work..."]
A novel that had a certain impact at a time when the myth of the "noble savage", reflections on education, and the nature of man occupied philosophical minds, Beaurieu succeeding like an experiment of Rousseau's theses.

New illustrated edition with a portrait as frontispiece, 3 title vignettes, and 41 folding plates. According to Brunet, the first octavo edition following the original quarto published in 1769 of these Commentaries. Title pages printed in red and black.
Contemporary full mottled calf binding. Spine with raised bands, gilt-tooled. Beige morocco title-piece, black basane volume label. Head of volume 2 restored. Surface abrasions on the boards, polished with wax. Traces of rubbing. A handsome copy, the paper of remarkable freshness.
Ex libris with 18th-century armorial bookplate of Biel D. de Lislemont.

First bilingual edition, with French facing Greek, translated by Pierre Coste, with his footnotes. Title page printed in red and black. Extended preface by Pierre Coste.
Copy bearing the arms of Queen Elisabeth Farnese of Spain, Princess of Parma, queen from 1714 to 1746. A woman of power whose policies profoundly influenced Spain. Double coat of arms surmounted by a closed royal crown, encircled by the collars of the Orders of the Holy Spirit and the Golden Fleece. Dexter: Spain; sinister: Farnese ("or with six fleurs-de-lys azure, 3,2,1"). An intriguing feature of the queen’s arms: the collars of the Orders of the Holy Spirit and of the Golden Fleece, although these orders were never bestowed upon women.
Contemporary full speckled blond calf binding. Spine with raised bands richly gilt. Crimson morocco title-piece. Arms gilt-stamped at the centre of the covers. Triple fillet border on the covers. All edges gilt. Slight wear to headcaps. Upper joint largely split. Lower joint split at head. 

First edition.

Worn contemporary half brown sheep binding. Spine with raised bands and ornament. Beige morocco title label. Head torn away with first compartment partly lacking. Tail trimmed. Upper joint cracked, lower joint split with losses. Corners cut. Trace of label on second compartment.
Two large sections divide this work. The first catalogs and describes the paintings present in the churches and castles from Lille to Antwerp, and this for all the cities of Flanders (Dunkirk, Brussels, Bruges...). The second part consists of biographies of famous painters of Flanders: Rubens, Van Dyck, Otto Van Veen, Jordaens, Van Cleef, Van Oost, etc.

• Observations du thermomètre faites pendant les grands froids de Sibérie, par M. Delisle.
• Recherche de statique et de dynamique, par M. le Marquis de Courtivron.
• Expériences de l'electricité appliquées à des paralytiques, par Mrs Morand et Nollet.
• Mémoires sur l'électricité, contenant la description d'un électromètre par M. le chevalier d'Arcy.
• Observations sur les pernicieux effets d'une espèce de champignon, par M. Le Monnier.
• Expériences et observations faites en différents endroits de l'Italie, par M. Nollet.
• Réflexions sur le principe de moindre action de M. Maupertuis, par M. le chevalier d'Arcy.
• Mémoire sur la cause des mouvements du cerveau, par M. de la Mure.

Second Elzevir edition of Milton's first text, which was originally published in 1651 in Amsterdam. First edition of Milton's Second and Third Defences.
Full polished tobacco calf bindings, ca. 1820. Spines with raised bands, decorated with four floral tools, fillets and rolls. Chocolate morocco title and volume labels. Cold-stamped border on the boards with small corner fleurons. Inner roll-tooled border. All edges gilt. A handsome copy.


NB: This volume is available at the bookshop on request within 48 hours.