L'espion anglois, ou correspondance secrète entre Milord All'Eye et Milord All'Ear

Edition with some parts in first edition. Rare gathering of the 10 volumes forming the complete edition of L'Espion anglois, newly published with the addition of the 3 final volumes. The first four volumes were originally published in 1775. Volumes V, VI, VII appeared in 1783, and the last three in 1784, after the author's death. A table, often absent, in volume III, lists the king's ships. A second table of taxation in the kingdom in volume V, most often missing.
Contemporary half marbled and glazed calf binding. Smooth decorated spine, tooled rolls at foot. Red calf title label, black sheep volume label. A hole along the upper joint at the foot of volume I. Narrow split at the beginning of the upper joint of volume 3 at head. One leaf detached at the end of volume 3.
The last leaf of volume 9 is missing, with the words "end of second volume" and the following final lines: "l'experience, elle confirme ce que je vous ai dit. C'est un empirique, appelé auprès d'un malade désespéré, qui n'a pas plus qu'un autre le secret d'empêcher de mourir ; mais qui par des secousses, des cordiaux, rend une vie momentanée au moribond, lui procure même un enbompoint apparent, après avoir fait crier au miracle, , se retire, sauf à.rejeter fur la faute de son successeur ou de fon malade le funeste événement par où fe doit terminer ce prodige prétendu. Mais hélas! Milord, fongeons à nous, & puisse les Français ne pas être les premiers à rire sur notre tombe !"
A very fresh copy. A handsome set.
Rich collection that presents a complete picture of France under Louis XVI (precisely from 1774 to 1779), as much economic as literary, cultural, political, musical, military and social. One will find curiosities such as letters on the capture of Dominica and the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, on Marseille, the Americans, Martinique, the combat of the Belle-poule, Voltaire, Beaumarchais, songs, numerous dialogues and book reviews... The whole forming a kaleidoscope of a thousand colors, flavorful and of certain interest for the period. Pidansat de Mairobert, royal censor, committed suicide after being implicated in the trial of the marquis de Brunoy and blamed by parliament, accused of relations with the English press.