First editions and first illustrated editions of literature classics from 15th to 18th century in contemporary bindings

Reprint of the 1709 Regensburg edition by the heirs of Mathias Kerner, published under a false imprint (actually printed in Rouen). This copy illustrated with 10 plates (numerous portraits), including 2 folding plates (the procession of the League and the estates of the League) and one in-text illustration. Title pages printed in red and black. Frontispiece repeated in all 3 volumes. Contemporary bindings in full polished calf. Spines with raised bands, richly decorated. Red morocco lettering-pieces and brown morocco volume numbering-pieces. Headcap of volume III restored. Split at head of upper joint of volume I. Paper browned to varying degrees throughout. A handsome, decorative copy. 18th-century armorial bookplate of Louise de Vivier.

Reprint of the early edition, augmented for the first time with Jean Godefroy's notes. It incorporates all previous additions, including those from Duchat's edition.

Among the foundational texts of this late 16th-century collection, the Catholicon is attributed to Pierre le Roy, the verses to Jean Passerat and Pierre Rapin, and the harangues to J. Gillot. This gathering of distinguished and talented men of letters confers considerable literary value upon the pamphlet (the Satire enjoyed successful editions into the 19th century). "At once a comedy, a pamphlet, and a coup d'état, the Satyre Ménippée paved Henry IV's way to the throne" (P. Larousse). The collection of historical, polemical, satirical, and literary texts assembled in the 18th-century editions constitutes the richest testimony to the history of the League.

A rare first edition, of which no subsequent reprint exists, complete with all his Neo-Latin poems, chiefly composed in Rome. The volume also contains two Greek poems at ff. 60 and 62, together with a poem which inspired the celebrated sonnet Happy he who like Ulysses.

Modern binding in full limp vellum, smooth spine, red edges, white pastedowns and endleaves.

Some defects within: discreet restoration to inner margin of title verso; small tear without loss at foot of ff. 2-3; dampstaining to lower margin of ff. 25-28 and 45-48; minimal marginal defect to f. 44, not affecting text.

Published in March 1558, this precious copy contains four books of Latin poems - Elegiæ, Varia Epigr[ammata], Amores [Faustinae], Tumuli - written by Du Bellay in Rome and Paris between 1553 and 1557. The collection, also referred to as Poemata or Œuvres latines, appeared in the same year as three other works from his Roman period: Les Regrets, Divers Jeux Rustiques, and Les Antiquitez de Rome.

First collected edition of the works by the author of Les Étourdis ou le Mort supposé, a comedy that enjoyed great success just before the Revolution.

The set includes a portrait frontispiece in the first volume, four engraved plates, and ten engraved headpieces.

Bound in contemporary full polished and mottled brown calf, gilt decoration, smooth spines with six false raised bands highlighted with gilt fillets and repeated gilt floral tools, gilt fillet frames on covers bordered with a garland roll, gilt tooling to head- and tailpieces, green morocco spine labels, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt edges on boards, marbled edges, contemporary bindings.

Some foxing to a few leaves of volume IV and to the endpapers, with minor surface abrasions to the covers.

Poet and playwright F.-G.-J.-S. Andrieux (1759–1833) was for a time drawn to politics under the Consulate.

He is remembered for his famous retort to Bonaparte, who reproached him for his opposition in the Tribunate: « Citoyen Premier Consul, on ne s'appuie que sur ce qui résiste ».

In literature, however, his ultra-classical tastes prevented him from recognizing the genius of Balzac, of whom he said, after hearing Cromwell: « Ce jeune homme doit faire quoi que ce soit, excepté de la littérature ». A splendid copy in Bradel-Derome le jeune bindings (cf. Coligny, Bradel-Derome, type A-T2), bearing a printed label on the pastedown of the first volume and, beneath it, the bookplate of the library of Vicomte E. de Bourbon-Busset (1799–1863).

First illustrated edition, with a frontispiece portrait of the author and a plate of music inserted at the end.

Not listed in Schwab.

Contemporary binding in half polished Havana calf, smooth spine decorated with gilt fillets, chain motifs and floral tools, saffron paper boards, marbled edges.

Joints split at foots and slightly at heads, a pleasant copy overall.

An important work by the renowned Austrian orientalist (1774–1856) devoted to ancient Persian poetry, containing a large number of extracts translated into German and an extensive index.

The work, dedicated to the great French orientalist Silvestre de Sacy, was carefully printed in Gothic type; the Persian translations are presented in two columns.

A handsome, large-margined copy in a period binding.

First edition of this periodical, the inaugural volume of which appeared in 1776. Publication continued until 1789 and ultimately comprised 112 volumes; sets are consequently very difficult to assemble, particularly in uniform bindings.

Copy bearing unidentified arms.

Contemporary full brown sheep. Smooth gilt-decorated spine. Red morocco lettering-piece and volume label. Upper cover stamped with armorial devices. Headcaps defective in five places. Various abrasions. A few early cracks at the head of the joints.

First edition of this important account of Buffon, providing insights into his private life, his character, and his relationships with those around him; it also contains numerous references to his scientific work (cf. Quérard I, 119: "Lyon, Grabit, 1788"; Dureau, "Notice sur Joseph Aude," p. 15).

Half vellum binding, smooth spine with a red morocco title label in vertical layout, marbled paper boards, slightly rubbed corners, sprinkled edges.

Stains in the margins of the title page and final leaf.

The memoirs proper end on page 55.

The following pages contain the poems announced in the title.

The rarity of this volume was already noted by Dureau in 1868...

Chevalier Aude (1755–1841), a prolific dramatist and former secretary to Caraccioli, had also served as Buffon’s secretary and resided, in the manner of an “Eckermann,” with the great naturalist at his estate in Montbard.

Armorial bookplate "Sapere Aude" pasted on the verso of the front board, likely belonging to a descendant of the Chevalier.

Edition limited to 60 copies of this rare and celebrated pamphlet tracing the history of the bean and Epiphany.

"Cette dissertation était devenue si rare qu'on en connaissait que deux exemplaires; elle a été réimprimée en 1808, à Besançon". Brunet I, 1387.

Our copy is preserved in its original stitching, in contemporary plain marbled blue paper wrappers.

Foxing to the title page, small angular paper losses to the wrappers.

A rare and handsome copy, with wide margins, as issued.

Pirate edition of 1812, imprint dated 1796. It features the exact pagination of the genuine 1796 edition, as well as the 13 plates and 2 frontispieces by Monnet, Mlle Gérard and Fragonard fils engraved by Baquoy, Duplessi-Bertaux, Dupréel, Godefroy, Langlois, Lemire, Lingée, Masquelier, Patas, Pauquet, Simonet and Trière. The pirate edition is identified by the letters “R. p. D.” in the plates' lower margins, as they have been retouched by Delvaux. In addition, the fillet preceding the date on the title-page is wavy, and the title is presented in seven lines rather than eight.

Bound in full morocco, slight rubbing on the corners, all edges gilt, splendid binding signed by Hardy.

A very fine copy in a magnificent decorated full morocco binding by Hardy.

The ‘Kehl edition’, the most renowned edition of Voltaire's works, illustrated and published on deluxe paper. It was printed on five different types of paper, and only the deluxe editions, such as ours on laid paper, feature engravings. These are naturally the most sought-after and rarest copies.

Binding in full painted sheep decorated with a “honeycomb” motif, smooth spine tooled with gilt fleurons, fillets and compartments, light beige calf lettering and volume pieces, gilt chain-roll border on covers, marbled endpapers, gilt roll on edges, all edges marbled, contemporary binding. Two volumes (nos. 50 and 70) with slight variations in gilt tools on the spines and with orange morocco lettering pieces, edges and covers treated somewhat differently. General condition of the 70 volumes: bindings with light rubbing to corners, gilt a little dulled, occasional foxing, a few wormholes and old restorations, not affecting the text. 28 volumes (vols. 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20, 24, 27, 28, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 43, 48, 61, 62, 63, 65, 66, 67, 68, 70) with cracked joints at the ends, and 20 volumes (vols. 8, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 33, 34, 37, 42, 46, 49, 53, 56, 57, 60, 65, 66, 68, 70) with damaged caps.

Two editions were published at the same time. Our copy belongs to the prestigious in-8 edition on large paper published in 70 volumes (the other edition being in-12 format in 92 volumes). It is richly illustrated with 125 etched plates:

- There are 17 portraits, including 3 of Voltaire: a frontispiece portrait by N. de Largillière engraved by P. Alex. Tardieu; one drawn from Houdon's bust by Moreau le Jeune and engraved by P. Alex. Tardieu; and one allegorical portrait by Louis Croutelle after Moreau le Jeune, belonging to the second series of illustrations of Voltaire's works executed by Moreau for the publisher Renouard. The 14 other portraits include an allegorical frontispiece of Frédéric-Guillaume, Prince of Prussia, depicted in profile in a medallion by Dambrun after Moreau le Jeune; a portrait of Henry IV by Pourbus engraved by Tardieu; one of Charles VII engraved after the original in the King's Cabinet by Mavieri; another of Agnès Sorel drawn by Moreau the Younger after the original in the King's Cabinet and engraved by Mavieri; one of Joan of Arc engraved by Beisson; followed by the Count of Dunois engraved after the original in the King's Cabinet by J. B. Fosseyeux; one of Louis XIV drawn by Moreau Le Jeune after C. Le Brun engraved by J. B. Fosseyeux; one of Charles XII engraved by P. Alex. Tardieu after the original in the King's Cabinet; one of Pierre I engraved by P. G. Langlois after a painting by L. Caravaque; one of Madame du Châtelet after Marie Anne Loir and engraved by P. G. Langlois; one of the Count of Argental after J. Defraine and engraved by J. B. Fosseyeux; one of Frédéric II of Prussia painted from life by Van Loo and engraved by P. G. Langlois; one of Catherine II of Russia engraved by J. B. Fosseyeux; and one of d'Alembert after De La Tour engraved by N. F. Maviez.

- 93 engravings by Moreau le Jeune, including 44 figures for le Théâtre (engraved by Lingée, Simonet, de Launay, Trière, Halbou, Duclos, Romanet, Dambrun, de Longueil, Delignon, Le Mire, Le Veau), 10 for la Henriade (engraved by Masquelier, Delignon, Dambrun, Patas, Gutemberg, Helman, Simonet, Duclos, Romanet), 21 for la Pucelle (engraved by Simonet, Dambrun, Halbou, Baquoy, Trière, Delignon, de Longueil, Croutelle and Duclos), 4 for the Contes (in verse, engraved by Langlois, Duclos, Delignon and Le Veau) and 14 for the Romans (engraved by Trière, Duclos, de Longueil, Dambrun, Baquoy, Delignon, Simonet, Langlois and Halbou). 

- 14 scientific plates in volume 31, illustrating the experiments of Newton, Descartes and Leibniz.

- 1 battle plan in volume 24 about the Histoire de l'Empire de Russie sous Pierre le Grand.

According to Bengesco (IV, no. 2142), our copy is missing a portrait of Louis XV in volume 22, as well as a portrait of Voltaire by De La Tour (replaced here in the last volume by an allegorical portrait by Louis Croutelle after Moreau le Jeune). This copy includes all the additional portraits, with the exception of two illustrations that are almost always missing: a portrait of Vertot and an engraving of the Œuvres.

Rare and genuine posthumous first edition of the first six books of the Confessions, the remaining volumes not appearing until 1789. Several other editions were issued shortly thereafter, but the evidence provided by the commentary published in the June 1782 issue of the Journal Helvétique clearly establishes that this separately printed edition, known as the "large type" issue, is indeed the very first (F. Michaux, "L'Édition originale de la première partie des 'Confessions' de J.-J. Rousseau" in Revue d'Histoire littéraire de la France, 35th Year, No. 2 (1928), pp. 250-253).
Contemporary half calf bindings, flat spines tooled with gilt fillets and decorated with beige morocco title and volume labels, marbled paper boards, all edges blue.
A handsome copy of this seminal text of the autobiographical genre, preserved in a contemporary binding.

First edition.

Full red morocco binding, round spine with five raised bands decorated with gilt fleurons, slight rubbing on the caps, double frame of blind-stamped gilt fillets on the covers, with fleurons at the corners of the inner frame, edges slightly blunt, marbled paper endpapers and back covers, gilt edges and heads, very elegant 19th-century binding ‘a la Du Seuil’ signed Quinet on the first endpaper. 

Rare first edition of Chamblain de Marivaux's first theatrical success, The Surprise of Love, published four years before The Second Surprise of Love. This play, performed in the spring of 1722 before being published the following year in 1723, already contains all the essence of Marivaux's style, all its subtle gallantry. According to the Romantic poet Theophile Gautier, it is the author's masterpiece. 

One of the very few copies bearing an autograph inscription—fewer than ten are recorded—of this first edition, containing the Marseillaise.
First edition illustrated with an engraved frontispiece by Charles-Étienne Gaucher after Jean-Jacques Le Barbier and four pages of engraved musical score at the end of the volume. La Marseillaise appears here in its true first edition, having first been pre-published in the Almanach des Muses in 1793 and circulated as separate leaves.
Contemporary half-sheepskin binding, smooth spine gilt-decorated with compartments, fleurons and fillets, red morocco title-piece, black pasteboard sides. Several manuscript and pasted ex-libris on the pastedown and endpapers. Spine restored, some foxing. The last two letters of the dedicatee’s name have been trimmed in the binding.
The work is enriched on the half-title with an exceptional autograph presentation by Rouget de L’Isle to a fellow artist of the Revolution: “M de La Chabeaussiè[re] / de la part de l'auteur.”
Rouget de Lisle and Poisson de la Chabeaussière, the recipient of the dedication, both embodied the revolutionary fervour and left their mark on the republican history of France through their writings.
La Marseillaise is presented here alongside other poems and songs. This first edition delivers the celebrated anthem in its original form: six quatrains, as written by Captain Rouget de L’Isle for the Army of the Rhine in April 1792, and proclaimed the national anthem in 1795 by the decree of 26 Messidor Year III.
As lyricists and men of letters, Rouget de L’Isle and La Chabeaussière were zealous servants of the Revolution but also victims of its excesses. At the time of this inscription, in Year V of the Republic, the two men were at the height of their glory: one as the author of the national anthem that thrilled revolutionary France, the other as the writer of the most widely disseminated republican catechism of the Revolution. Indeed, La Chabeaussière composed another major work of revolutionary heritage: a Catéchisme républicain, philosophique et moral, reprinted eighty-two times up to the Third Republic, which earned him a seat on the Commission exécutive de l’instruction publique. Like Rouget de L’Isle, he also achieved success as a lyricist and librettist, notably for the comic operas of Nicolas Delayrac. The history of La Marseillaise from its creation is interwoven with that of La Chabeaussière and of the composer Delayrac, whose heroic drama Sargines ou l’Élève de l’amour presents striking similarities with the anthem.
Neither La Chabeaussière nor Rouget de L’Isle, despite the fame of the Marseillaise, escaped the terrors of the Revolution. Declared “suspects,” they were both imprisoned in 1793, respectively at the prisons of the Madelonettes and of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. After these dark hours, they resumed a more peaceful existence and continued to collaborate actively with the Almanach des Muses, which first published La Marseillaise in volume form.
Upon La Chabeaussière’s death in 1820, the copy embarked on a most romantic history. It still bears the inscription of its second owner, Édouard Gendron: “Ce livre a été acheté en 1821 – à un carrefour près la place de l’école de médecine, parmi un tas de ferraille.”
First publication by its composer of the most celebrated symbol of the French Republic: La Marseillaise. Its precious presentation brings together revolutionary poets whose intertwined destinies left an indelible mark on the history of France.

Celebrated edition entirely engraved both images and text, richly illustrated with 6 engraved titles, a frontispiece and an engraved half-title for volume I, together with 243 figures, 473 vignettes and tail-pieces engraved by Fessard. The illustration of the first three volumes is the work of Monnet, and in the last three by Fessard after Bardin, Bidauld, Caresme, Desrais, Houel, Kobell, Le Clerc, Leprince, Loutherbourg, and Meyer. The text is entirely engraved by Montulay and Drouet within decorative borders. 
Contemporary red morocco bindings, flat spines gilt in a lattice design with floral gilttooling, beige morocco volume and title labels, triple gilt fillet framing the boards, gilt fillet on the edges, gilt roll-tooled borders on the pastedowns, blue paper endleaves and doublures, gilt dentelle turn-ins, all edges gilt. Joints expertly restored.

A handsome copy, elegantly bound in contemporary red morocco with richly gilt-tooled spines, of this edition undertaken by Etienne Fessard, dedicated to the heirs to the kingdom or"enfants de France", the Duke of Berry, the Count of Provence, and the Count of Artois.

First edition of the French translation by Nicolas-Gabriel Vaquette d'Hermilly (1705 or 1710–1778), later revised by La Harpe (Quérard II, 30; Cioranescu, XVIII, 33 926).

Despite its very late date, this was only the second attempt at a French translation of Os Lusiadas (1572), following that of 1735 by Duperron de Castéra, which had failed to convince contemporary readers.

This edition includes 10 copper-engraved plates out of text, and is further enriched with notes and a biography of the author.

Bound in early 19th-century green bottle Russian morocco over pink paper boards, corners reinforced, flat spines with gilt double fillets and black ruling; some surface abrasions to boards, endpapers and pastedowns lightly shadowed at the margins.

Paper restoration to leaves 293–294 of the first volume; leaves 291–292 misbound in the second volume.

First edition, of great rarity (cf. Sabin 4182).

Bradel-style binding in full orange paper-covered boards, with a brown shagreen spine label; modern binding.

A very good copy.

A vindication of France’s conduct during the uprising of the British colonies in America.

New edition, adorned with a portrait of the author by Daullé, three headpieces by de Sève engraved by Juste Chevillet, twelve plates engraved by Jacques Aliamet, Jean-Jacques Flipart, Noël Le Mire, Louis-Simon Lempereur, Dominique Sornique, and Jacques-Nicolas Tardieu, and thirteen vignettes and sixty tail-pieces, all by de Sève engraved by Jean-Charles Baquoy, Jean-Jacques Flipart, and Louis Legrand.

A superb copy of the first luxury edition of Racine, among the most sought-after, bound in the most sumptuous red morocco.

Contemporary full red morocco, spine with five raised bands and gilt compartments, triple gilt fillet border, corner fleurons, yellow morocco lettering pieces and volume numbers, double gilt fillets on the boards, marbled endpapers, double gilt fillet on the edges, gilt dentelle turn-ins, gilt edges. Occasional light foxing, mostly on the early leaves of the volumes; some browned pages; skilfully restored corners and joints; a few scratches.

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.

Deluxe edition superbly illustrated with 3 engraved titles, a portrait, a frontispiece and 72 figures, 4 vignettes and 66 tailpieces, all by Le Barbier, and engraved by Alix, Baquoy, Dambrun, Delignon, Gaucher, Giraud le jeune, Godefroy, halbou, Langlois jeune, Le Beau, Lépine, Le Villain, de Longueil, Pauquet, Petit, Ponce, Taxier, Thomas, Trière and Viguet. The first plates are numbered and within frames with captions in the lower margin, the following ones bear pagination indications. Some plates are dated, from 1782 to 1792. Fine printing on vellum. 

Contemporary full green morocco binding. Smooth spine decorated with 4 cornucopia tools, and roulettes. Frame roulette on the boards. Roulette on the leading edges and interior. Pink paper on pastedowns. Edges gilt. Traces of rubbing. Darker areas on the boards of volume 2. Spine uniformly lightened. Scattered foxing.

First edition, first issue, with every feature described by Cohen. The illustration includes a frontispiece, three dedication plates, four printed titles in red and black with engraved vignette, thirty vignettes, and a fine tailpiece concluding the final volume. In addition, there are 140 engraved full-page plates (including the frontispiece, numbered 2 to 140), by Boucher, Eisen, Gravelot, Leprince, Monnet, and Moreau, and engraved by Baquoy, Basan, Binet, Duclos, and de Ghendt - 48 in the first volume, 33 in the second, 37 in the third, and 22 in the last. The frontispiece, the fleurons in the first three volumes, and the vignettes were drawn and engraved by Choffart. 

The French translation by Abbé Antoine Banier is printed opposite the Latin text. It also contains historical notes by the translator and a Life of Ovid from his writings under the name M. G***. Our copy is complete, including the 'avis au relieur' bound in volume 4. The plates are printed on a cream thick laid paper, while the text appears on fine laid paper.

Full red glazed morocco contemporary bindings, spines with five raised bands elaborately decorated with gilt compartments and fleurons. The set is well preserved overall, with a few scattered spots and light foxing; some plates are slightly browned. To the upper joint of Vol. 3, a small perforation and minor crack.

A truly magnificent publication, pinnacle of 18th-century illustrated works by the engraver Le Mire. Together with the renowned Fermiers Généraux edition of La Fontaine’s Contes, it is undoubtedly the most elegantly illustrated book of this century. The project includes the finest illustrators and engravers, with mythological subjects serving as particular inspiration. Ovid’s timeless masterpiece comprises 246 fables of metamorphoses, from Chaos to the transformation of Julius Caesar into a star, providing a comprehensive repository of Greco-Roman mythology and an inexhaustible iconographic resource for the history of art.

A handsome and exceedingly rare first issue, bound in contemporary red morocco.

Armorial ex-libris of William Vincens Bouguereau (son of the painter), a card of the Baron de Noirmont.

Elzevirian "à la sphère" edition based on the first one printed in 1623, with the same features, including a red-and-black title page for the first volume and a black title page for the second. Brunet suggests it may have been printed in Brussels (IV, 1050).

Numerous headbands, culs-de-lampe, and initials.

Full dark green morocco binding, spine with five raised bands, with gilt fleurons and framed in blind, gilt date at foot. Covers with a Du Seuil-style double panel of blind-ruled borders, gilt fleurons at the corners of the inner panel, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, inner gilt dentelle, gilt edges, edges and spine-ends ruled in gilt.  Binding signed "Petit succede Simier" on front flyleaf. Minor tear to the title page of the second volume not affecting the text; a few very occasional spots of foxing.

Delightful edition of Rabelais' works, handsomely bound in full morocco in the Du Seuil style, signed by Petit, successor to Simier.

New edition and the last early collected edition of Ronsard's works, comprising volumes IV, V, VI, and VII. Engraved portraits of Charles IX and Henri III (the same used twice), and two vignette headpieces with a medallion portrait of Ronsard. Royal arms on all four title pages. Tables at the end of each volume.
Contemporary limp full vellum binding. Smooth spine. Volume numbers and date in black ink manuscript. The volume number on the first title page was pencilled in. Endpapers detached from the boards. A good copy.

Collective edition, partly original. It is illustrated with 3 frontispiece titles and 23 figures by François Chauveau. The three frontispiece titles dated 1660, the title page of the second volume with the date 1664, the other two title pages dated 1660. In the second volume, the privilege is also dated 1664, while the other two volumes have the privilege dated 1660. The second volume is therefore the 1664 reprint, identical in every respect to the 1660 edition, with the exception of the collation of the preliminary pieces. The three discourses as well as the examinations of each piece appear for the first time.

Binding in full 20th-century chocolate morocco signed Alix at the bottom of the endpapers. Spine with raised bands decorated with 4 grotesque panels, author, title, volume number, and date in gold. Large and rich interior border. Triple fillet border on the boards. Gilt edges. Minimal traces of rubbing. Volumes of great purity, with paper of beautiful freshness. Slipcases edged with chocolate morocco covered with old laid paper.

Magnificent copy.

Rare critical edition of this medieval chivalric romance. Includes a preface on the origins of chivalry and early tournaments, along with a foreword to aid the understanding of the narrative. This edition also features two tales: Histoire de messire Floridan et de la belle Ellinde, et Addicion extraites des cronicques de Flandres, qui est très belle chose.
Contemporary full polished red morocco. Smooth spine with decorative gilt tooling, red morocco label for title and volume number. Triple gilt fillet border on covers. Gilt edges. Gilt inner dentelles. A few small spots of foxing. Title-page of the first volume reinforced at lower margin, an old restoration. Tail of volume I slightly worn.

A very handsome copy.

First edition, illustrated with an allegorical frontispiece by Cazes engraved by Tardieu, a title vignette by Humblot repeated, and four repeated headpieces by the same artist, as well as a folding map of ancient Greece and a plate of medals. Title pages printed in red and black.
Contemporary full mottled and polished calf. Spine richly gilt in compartments. Red morocco title label, volume label in gilt-decorated brown calf. Losses to the headcaps of volumes I and III. Splits to the upper joints of volume I. In volume I, from pages 190 to 370, two small wormholes affect the upper margin; from page 371 onwards, these gradually develop into short tunnels, extending 1.5 cm along the upper margin near the fore-edge. The two flyleaves before the title page of volume I have been removed, the volume opening directly onto the title page. Generally clean, with occasional browning or faint foxing to a few leaves.

First edition, illustrated with an allegorical frontispiece and 34 half-page engravings by Sébastien Le Clerc.

Contemporary full red morocco binding with elaborate dentelle gilt decoration. Spine with raised bands, richly tooled in gilt with onion flower motifs. Red morocco title and volume labels. Wide gilt dentelle border on the covers, executed with small tools. Gilt edges. Headcaps, joints, and corners restored; gilt decoration on the headcaps renewed. Noteworthy: the engraving on p.125 has been printed in reverse.

Bookplate with the armorial bearings of Pierre de Laussat, apparently reaffixed to the front endpaper.

Second edition.

Bound in full roan, spine with five raised bands framed in gilt and decorated in gilt, edges framed in gilt partially faded in places, all edges speckled.
Lower corners bumped, worming visible on the first seven leaves.

A rare edition of this work, which include Dialogue de l'amour et de l'amitié, Critique de l'Opéra, La Peinture, Le Miroir ou la métamorphose d'Orante, La Chambre de justice de l'amour, une Critique de l'opéra Alceste.
Also featured is Charles Perrault's description of the now-lost Labyrinth of Versailles, a creation by the great Le Nôtre.

This remarkable labyrinth boasted thirty-nine fountains, each illustrating one of Aesop's fables and accompanied by verses from Isaac de Benserade.

Provenance: Library of Henry Bertrand, dry stamp on the first endpaper.
 

Very elegant edition of Perrault's fairy tales, printed with the stereotype process invented by Louis-Etienne Herhan.

Illustrated with 5 full-text engravings (2 vignettes each) and a vignette on the engraved title, after the frontispiece by Antoine Clouzier for the first edition of Perrault's tales (Paris, Barbin, 1697).
Full roan binding, smooth spine framed in gilt and gilt motifs, black title label stamped in gilt, boards framed in gilt, inner dentelle, endpapers and pastedowns in caillouté paper, all edges gilt. Joints slightly split at head of spine, a small brown stain to title page and frontispiece, some spotting. 
Very rare edition, including Bluebeard, Little Red Riding Hood, The Fairy, Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots, Cinderella, Riquet with the Tuft, Little Thumb, The Clever Princess, Donkey-skin, The Ridiculous Wishes.

A very scarce item, OCLC does not locate any copy printed by Saintin at this address.

Charming edition illustrated with a frontispiece, a framed title and 9 half-page illustrations, reproducing vignettes by Fokke after De Sève - with the final illustration for L'Adroite Princesse, newly added. 

Complete with the Épître dédicatoire by P. Darmancour [Charles Perrault] to 'La Grande Mademoiselle', Anne-Marie d'Orléans, cousin of Louis XIV.

Half-sheep binding, smooth spine ruled in gilt, and a diagonally stamped gilt title. Beige paper boards, speckled edges. Small paper defect in the margin of page 75, scattered foxing, a small brown stain affecting the illustration of Cinderella. A name written in ink in the lower margin of page 21.
 
This edition contains eight famous tales by Perrault: Le Petit Chaperon Rouge (Little Red Riding Hood), Les Fées (The Fairies), La Barbe Bleue (Bluebeard), La Belle au bois dormant (Sleeping Beauty), Le Chat Botté (Puss in Boots), Cendrillon (Cinderella), Riquet à la Houppe (Ricky of the Tuft), and Le Petit Poucet (Hop-o'-My-Thumb), as well as The Clever Princess or Finette by his niece Marie-Jeanne L'Héritier de Villandon, wrongly attributed to Perrault. The collection ends with La Veuve et ses deux filles, by Marie Leprince de Beaumont.
 
Cohen 789; Brunet Supplément, II, 206 ;
Provenance: Henry Betrand library, blind stamp on verso of frontispiece.

Second edition, partly original, notably augmented with several additional pieces, complete with the caricature  woodcut portrait of the widow Oudot as frontispiece, printed in green, as is the title. According to Barbier, the burlesque portrait was engraved by one of the authors, the comte de Caylus himself.

Contemporary full mottled brown calf, smooth spine richly gilt with fleurons, palms and scrollwork, brown-red morocco lettering-piece, triple gilt fillet bordering the boards with fleurons at corners, gilt fillet on board edges, all edges gilt, pastedowns and endpapers of small-comb pattern marbled paper.

Small losses to the headcaps, lower joint of the front board split over 1 in., light wear to the joints, some surface scratching to the board margins, front board slightly warped, corners bumped.

Marginal stain on p. 19.

First edition of this work published by the Société du Bout-du-Banc, the celebrated literary salon presided over by Mademoiselle Jeanne-Françoise Quinault and the Comte de Caylus. This intimate circle, originally comprising eight members, would gather on Mondays at dinner to exchange ideas and to write; at the close of each meal, every distinguished guest was required to set down a few lines — whether in the coarse poissard style or in a more refined vein — on paper. It was in this context that Les Fêtes roulantes, ou les regrets des petites rues came into being, in the wake of the celebrations held in Paris in honour of the Dauphin's second marriage, to Marie-Josèphe de Saxe.

Pastiche binding in plum half-shagreen, spine with five raised bands framed by gilt dotted fillets and six compartments decorated with gilt fillets and fleurons, marbled paper boards, gilt top edge, pastedowns and endpapers in shell-pattern marbled paper.

Some minor rubbing to the paper of the lower board, corners slightly bumped.

First edition of a play regarded as historically significant, performed for the first time nineteen days before the execution of Louis XVI, which set all of Paris and then France ablaze to the point of interrupting the King's trial, by a constitutional monarchist playwright.

Nineteenth-century Bradel binding in half brown percaline, smooth spine decorated with a gilt fleuron, red morocco lettering-piece, pebble-pattern marbled paper boards, edges lightly red-speckled.

Corners bumped.

Discreet scattered foxing. 

Minor printing flaw on p. 7.

First edition, at one time attributed to Bernard Le Bouyer de Fontenelle, on the loves of a shepherd of illustrious lineage: Mirtil, son of Venus and Adonis. Complete copy with its engraved title page by Louis Legrand and its six plates drawn by Hubert François Gravelot and engraved by Louis Legrand.

Half marbled calf binding, spine with five raised bands decorated with dotted gilt fillets, five compartments richly gilt with fillets and fleurons, pebble-pattern marbled paper boards, red edges, pastedowns and endpapers also in pebble-pattern marbled paper, pastiche binding in fine condition.

A few discreet marginal dampstains.

First edition of a work by an Illuminist author, also a barrister at the Parlement, known for his licentious and libertine writings, including L'Histoire de Dom Bougre, portier des Chartreux. This work was also at one time attributed to Pierre Lambert de Saumery, who published under the pseudonym "de Mirone."

Midnight blue half morocco with corners, spine with five gilt raised bands decorated with compartments richly gilt with arabesques, fillets and small stars, marbled paper boards framed with gilt fillets, pastedowns and endpapers in combed-pattern marbled paper, pastiche binding signed on the verso of the first free endpaper "Cuzin." Loosely inserted bookplate at the front of the volume, bearing the intertwined initials "DP."

Spine slightly sunned.

Discreet scattered foxing. 

Title page printed in red.

One of the first collected editions of these seven comic novellas, initially printed separately, by the Sieur de Préfontaine, regarded as a first-rate author by Charles Louandre: "without seeking to diminish in any way the merit of Boileau, without disputing his title as legislator of taste, one may say that Charles Sorel, Furetière, Préfontaine, [...] contributed alongside him and before him to cleansing the French Parnassus."

The first edition of one of the short stories contained in this volume, L'Assemblée des filoux et des filles de joie, is to this day lost; its earliest version is thus found in the 1671 editions.

Early nineteenth-century binding in full brown long-grain morocco, smooth spine with six gilt compartments decorated with urns, red morocco lettering-piece, triple gilt fillet border to boards, gilt-tooled roll to board edges with a diagonal line pattern, gilt edges, marbled pastedowns and endpapers with a shell pattern. Bookplate of "ED. PETIT" on the verso of the first free endpaper.

First free endpaper torn at inner margin over 5 cm, title page marginally rubbed, very slight marginal dampstaining from p. 297 to p. 318. A handsome and pleasing copy.

(our own translation) 

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 of the French translation by Élisabeth de Bon, gathering in 2 volumes the 4 parts of this anonymous English novel originally printed in 1809, which according to André Marc in his Dictionnaire des romans anciens et modernes of 1819, is the work of Anna Maria Porter, younger sister of the novelist Jane Porter. The Porter sisters, contemporaries of Jane Austen and famous before the Brontës, were close to the Scottish poet Walter Scott.

Contemporary full brown tree sheep, smooth spines divided into compartments richly gilt in decorative rolls of laurels, annulets and lozenges, two compartments with a lozenge network formed by interlacing fillets with fleurons at the corners, red and green morocco lettering-piece and numbering-piece, blind-tooled fillet border to boards, gilt fillet to turn-ins, edges sprinkled red, marbled endpapers in pebbled pattern.

Some light surface wear and minor offsetting to boards, corners slightly worn. On volume 1, a charming error in the decorative roll at foot of spine, corrected by the binder. On volume 2, small piece of leather at the edge of the numbering-piece slightly detaching.

Scattered foxing and faint marginal damp-staining to upper margins. In volume 3, two minor marginal repairs to half-title and p. 8.

Several period textual corrections in brown ink and pencil: volume 1 p. 131, volume 2 p. 90, and volume 3 p. 21.

New edition of the translation by Alain-René Le Sage, revised by Pons-Auguste Alletz, some forty years after its initial publication. Two frontispieces decorate each volume. As we learn from the Avertissement, this classic, which flowed from the pen of the author nicknamed the "Divine Spaniard" by his compatriots, was then, in the 1770s, unknown to a large part of the French youth.

Contemporary binding in full brown tree calf, smooth gilt spine with four compartments separated by traditional and dotted fillets, red morocco lettering-piece and numbering-piece, blind fillet framing the boards, gilt fillet on board edges, red edges, shell-marbled paper pastedowns and endpapers.

Discreet old restorations, corners worn, scattered foxing. On the first volume, the upper board is slightly sprung and the spine is lightly split at the foot; on the second volume, the upper joint is slightly starting and there are a few minor losses to the red morocco of the spine. Internally in good condition. In the first volume, small holes to pp. 27 and 169, not affecting the text, and a small marginal tear to p. 227. In the second volume, a discrete red stain to the frontispiece and title-page, a small hole slightly affecting the text on p. 315, a marginal tear very slightly touching the text on p. 361, and another marginal tear, also to the margin, not affecting the text on p. 367.

A rare 1750 reimpression of two works first published together in 1669, brought together by the fabulist from that first date.

Contemporary full brown sheep, spine with five raised bands highlighted with a gilt fillet and decorated with five compartments tooled with dandelion-shaped gilt fleurons, red morocco lettering piece, blind-ruled fillet framing the boards, gilt fillet on board edges, red edges, shell pattern marbled pastedowns and endpapers.

Head and tail caps slightly split, discreet loss of leather and light scratches to boards, corners worn.

Marginal tear to p. 197, light scattered foxing, otherwise in fine condition.

First edition limited to only 250 copies, which were not offered for sale but given to the author's close circle. This former minister under Louis XV composed these essays in 1736, and his son, the Marquis de Paulmy, had them published nearly fifty years later.

Contemporary half brown calf, grained paper boards, spine with five raised bands decorated with five compartments featuring double gilt fillets, red morocco lettering piece, red speckled edges.

Lower headcap missing, some surface rubbing to boards, corners worn, small wormhole at foot of spine, book interior in fine condition.

Light foxing, author's name annotated in brown ink on title page.

The name of the author's intellectual master, Michel de Montaigne, is spelled here, as in the first edition of the Essais, without the 'i'—originally silent before 'gn'; but after all, isn't 'Montagne' one of the highest peaks of French literature?

Copy comprising two translations in first edition by M. de Marolles, Abbé de Villeloin. Charming allegorical engraved title-page depicting the authors and their works, the latter represented as two mischievous cherub-satyrs. Several headpieces, some with coats of arms, tailpieces, and decorated initials with floral and figural motifs.

Contemporary binding in full brown calf, spine with four gilt raised bands, decorated with four compartments with gilt fleurons and roulettes, double gilt fillet framing the boards.

Darkening to the spine and lower board, rubbing and scratches to the boards, one corner bumped.

Scattered foxing and dampstaining in the margins, affecting the text only slightly, small marginal hole at p. 201, faint brown ink mark at p. 101.

An intriguing first edition, complete with its engraved frontispiece of the author by Giovanni Volpato after Domenico Corvi, and its introductory poem by the Abbé Luigi Godard. A copy unrecorded in non-European libraries according to WorldCat.

Contemporary binding of fawn mottled calf, smooth spine divided into five gilt compartments by gilt rolls, brown morocco lettering-piece, triple gilt fillet framing the boards, double gilt fillet on the board edges, blue speckled edges, and shell-pattern marbled pastedowns and endpapers.

The lower cap lacking, some surface wear to the spine and corners, the upper joint slightly split for several centimetres, a few discreet wormholes and small areas of loss to the leather on the boards, light rubbing to the edges; the interior in very good condition.

A marginal tear to p. 51 very slightly affecting the text, and a marginal stain to p. 47.

First edition of this biblical poem later set to music by Mondonville (cf. Barbier II, 970; Cioranescu 63676).

Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville (1711–1772), violinist, conductor and composer, wrote several operas, oratorios and pastorals, as well as works for harpsichord and sacred music.

He directed the Concert spirituel between 1755 and 1762.

Claude-Henri de Fusée de Voisenon (170–1775), a friend of Voltaire, a familiar figure in the salons and much in favour with Madame de Pompadour, was elected to the Académie française in 1762.

He left a body of dramatic works, novels and tales.

A date inscribed at the head of the title-page, which shows small spots at the foot; ink stains in the right-hand margin of the final leaf; a pleasing copy.

First edition of this collection of anecdotes and allegories drawn from Turkish, Arabic and Persian manuscripts held at the Royal Library (cf. Quérard, II, 50. Brunet, 19466. Cioranescu, 15566. Graesse, p. 46. Goedeke, 651.)

Contemporary half calf with corners, the flat spine gilt with decorative garlands, the spine rubbed and crazed, cherry-coloured calf lettering-piece, green paper-covered boards, yellow edges, small nicks to the extremities.

Denis-Dominique Cardonne (1721-1783) lived in Constantinople for twenty years, from 1730 to 1750, where he learned Turkish, Arabic and Persian.

On his return to France he was appointed the King’s secretary-interpreter for oriental languages, royal censor, inspector of the book trade, and professor of Turkish and Persian at the Collège de France.

New edition illustrated with 52 unsigned plates, including 6 frontispieces. Volume V is a continuation of the history of Don Quixote, by the translator Filleau de Saint Martin. Volume VI written by the author Robert Challes. Title pages erroneously indicate 58 figures.
Brown full contemporary roan, stamped in gilt in between raised bands. Title page in red morocco. Small piece of leather lacking to upper part of Volume I, small loss to head of spine. In volume II, upper spine-end torn off and lower spine-end partly missing, some damage to lower cover. Volume III, damaged upper spine-end. Volume IV, lower spine-end missing. Volume V, upper spine-end missing. Volume VI, upper spine-end flattened. 6 corners dulled. Despite traces of use, a good, uniform set. Bright paper overall, with occasional foxing around title pages and some yellowed leaves.
At the end of the 17th century, publisher Claude Barbin tasked Filleau de Saint-Martin to issue a new translation of Don Quixote, as Oudin's first translation had become obsolete, archaic and too literal. Filleau de Saint-Martin's translation prevailed until the 19th century. Interestingly, the translator changed the story's ending, opting not to have his hero die, which allowed him to write a sequel to his adventures, followed by another sequel by Robert Challes; this edition can be regarded as a French appropriation of Cervantes' masterpiece.
 

New edition following the original of 1573. A handsome edition well printed in italics. It contains the Christian poetry, absent from the 1600 edition. Copy enhanced with a portrait of the author from around 1820.
Full glazed blonde calf Restoration binding signed at foot F. Bozérian jeune. Spine with raised bands decorated with 5 fleurons, fillets and roulettes on the bands. Date at foot in blind. Boards ruled in blind with frame roulette composed of interlaced circles. Interior Greek key border. Edges gilt. A small fragment missing from head. Some traces of rubbing. Paper very fresh, the engraving has caused slight uniform foxing on the title page. A handsome copy.
The volume contains: Les amours de Diane; Les amours d'Hippolyte; Les dernières amours de Cléonice; Les Elégies; Les imitations de l'Arioste; Les meslanges contenant Les diverses amours, les bergeries et masquarades, les épitaphes, les prières et oeuvres chrétiennes.
Desportes' poetry was durably influenced and shaped by Italian literature. The author indeed returns to France after a journey to Italy where he underwent the influence of Petrarch - his first poems are moreover criticized as neo-Petrarchan. His first book appeared in a collective collection and gathered his poetry imitated from Ariosto. His clear, frank, mannerist and refined poetry, court poetry, eclipsed that of Ronsard at the court of Henri III. It was in turn criticized and replaced by that of Malherbe. Desportes' literature nonetheless constitutes an important aspect of Renaissance poetry.

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.

"Vous avez été leurs maîtres, et vous en avez mal agi ; ils sont devenus les vôtres, et ils vous pardonnent ; faites vos réflexions là-dessus." ["You have been their masters, and you have acted badly; they have become yours, and they forgive you; reflect upon this."] (Trivelin, final scene)

Second collective first edition, with continuous pagination, containing for the first time Phèdre, the Discours prononcé à l'Académie françoise à la réception de Messieurs de Corneille et de Bergeret and the Idylle sur la paix.(Brunet, IV, 1077). Work illustrated with 12 figures including 2 frontispieces, most signed by François Chauveau; the frontispiece of the first volume engraved by Le Brun. 
Edition shared between Barbin, Denys Thierry and Pierre Trabouillet.
Full midnight blue morocco binding from the late 19th century signed at the foot of the pastedown Thibaron-Joly (Former worker of Trautz, Thibaron partnered with the gilder Joly in 1874). Spine with raised bands decorated. Boards à la Du Seuil, executed with a central rectangle formed by a triple fillet, with fleurons in the corners followed by a frame of triple fillets. Rich decorative gilt board-edges. Edges gilt. Minimal traces of rubbing. A few rare leaves slightly more yellowed, otherwise, magnificent copy in a condition close to perfection. 
Blue sheepskin bookplate featuring a dolphin in a shield: Bibliothèque Génard. 
Rare collective edition after the first published in 1676 by Claude Barbin, important and sought after for the variants and additions it offers.

• Volume 1 : 2 fr. et 22 pl. (+1) - vij (1) 304 pp.
• Volume 2 : 2 fr. et 14 pl. - 312 pp. Page 147 mounted. Two small restorations to the lower margin of pages 266 and 267.
• Volume 3 : 2 fr. et 23 pl. - 304 pp. Lower part of p. 121 restored, probably during the binding process, with a different typeface on the last two lines of the text.
• Volume 4 : 2 fr. et 15 pl. (+1) - 293 pp. (3). Small hole to the last page (publisher's catalogue)

• Tome 1 : 2 fr. et 10 pl. - 344 pp. 2 title pages dated 1784 "chés la d.me Veuve Duchesne" + 1 title page Les Dangers de la ville. Restoration to the upper corner of p. 9.
• Tome 2 : 2 fr. et 4 pl. - 320 pp. (mal chif. 220). Title page of Les Dangers de la ville pasted over that of La Paysane pervertie 1784 "chés le libraire indiqué au frontispice de la I Partie du Paysan"
• Tome 3 : 2 fr. et 7 pl. - 320 pp. 2 versions of the title pages as described above. A restoration to the inner margin of p. 257.
• Tome 4 : 2 fr. et 9 pl. - 344 pp. ; 8 pp. ; (1) clxx-ccxliv (12) Also 2 versions also of the title page. The first page of the text of Dangers de la ville bound, with some skillful restorations.

The rather rare first collected edition of these various works.

Contemporary binding in full marbled and glazed sheep. Decorated smooth spine. Havana morocco title and volume labels. Lacks to joints at head of volume I. Lack to upper joint at head of volume II and lacks at foot. Upper joint split at foot of volume II. Rubbing to joints, headcaps, edges and corners.
This edition contains Don Quixote moderne, L'Homère travestie ou L'Iliade en vers burlesques, L'éducation d'un prince, La voiture embourbée, Le miroir, Refléxions sur l'esprit humain, etc...

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.

First edition of this complete collection, including the portrait of Cochin as frontispiece. Some of the memoirs had appeared in 1773, but the collected edition that brings them all together is indeed dated 1774; certain pieces are dated 1773 as they were added after the title page bearing the 1774 date. Although the pagination varies, the collection contains only one general title page; some memoirs have half-titles, others do not.
Contents of the collection: Mémoires de M. Caron de Beaumarchais contre M. Goezman, Supplément au mémoire à consulter, Addition au Supplément du mémoire à consulter, Requeste d'atténuation pour le Sr Caron de Beaumarchais, Quatrième mémoire à consulter, Suite de la justification du Sieur de Beaumarchais, Mémoire pour Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, Réponse ingénue de Beaumarchais à la consultation injurieuse que le Comte de la Blache a répandu dans Aix, Le tartare à la légion (this piece is rare and is found in very few collections).
Contemporary full speckled calf binding. Spine with gilt decorative tooling, gilt fillets at head and foot. Brown morocco label. Blue mottled edges. Rubbing to joints. A good, fresh copy, with some gatherings slightly toned.
Bookplate of J. B. Regnault, avocat.