Epouvantable etonnement du surveillant du temple de Charenton

First edition, only one other copy recorded (BnF).

Full dark purple morocco binding, spine with five raised bands with gilt floral motifs, gilt date at foot, spine slightly faded, covers numerously framed in gilt, gilt-tooled corners each adorned with a blue onlaid morocco medallion stamped with a central gilt fleuron, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, pastedown bookplate of Ernest Stroehlin, inner gilt dentelle, spine-ends ruled in gilt, very light rubbing to corners, all edges gilt. A tiny restored lack of paper to the upper part of the title page, not affecting the text.

Very rare anti-Protestant satire in the form of a dialogue between the renowned Protestant minister Mestrezat and the warden of the Charenton temple where Mestrezat officiated.

Undoubtedly one of the most theatrical expressions of the Catholic-Protestant controversy, which had then traded weapons of steel for those of paper (Pierre de Beloy): "The time of the Edict of Nantes was marked by interconfessional controversy, both oral and written, with the aim of defeating the opponent, silencing him, or ideally converting him, leading him from error to truth." (Marianne Carbonnier-Burkard). Techener described this work as a "witty and spiritual critique," adding that it is a "very rare piece, unknown to the authors of La France protestante" (Librairie Techener, 1888, no. 3903). The Charenton temple, where Mestrezat officiated, was the place of worship for Parisian Protestants in the 17th century, at a time when the practice of the Reformed faith was banned in major cities under the provisions of the Edict of Nantes. The warden of the Charenton temple, mockingly referred to in this pamphlet as a mere lamplighter, has even been identified as the celebrated Pierre du Moulin, the first pastor of the temple, who had gained the affectation in 1599 of the land to the Reformed Church of Charenton where a temple was erected (Tombeau de la mélancolie, p. 737). The anonymous author ridicules both protagonists—Jean Mestrezat is portrayed complaining to the warden about having been attacked by "the wicked little Abbé de Clausone"—the fiery polemicist Gabriel Martin, Abbé de Clausone, had indeed written scathing pamphlets against him. Could this work be by Clausone himself, rejoicing in his own writings? Regardless, retorts abound regarding the heresy of the Reformed faith, a "church order in which a lamplighter [the warden] holds one of the highest ranks"—the same lamplighter who exclaims in these lines: "I am more learned than all the Councils, for I am able to censure them."

Outstanding copy with prestigious provenance, beautifully bound in full morocco, of this work of which only one other copy is recorded in in institutions.

Provenance: Ernest Stroehlin (1844–1907), Doctor of Theology and Professor of Religious History at the University of Geneva—with his engraved bookplate by Champel bearing the motto "Mente Libera" and his monogram "GES" (Gaspard-Ernest Stroehlin) on front pastedown.

Repertoire of Controversial Works between Catholics and Protestants in France, 1598–1685, no. 2957.