Epreuves du sentiment

First collected edition of this collection of novellas whose 5 volumes appeared from 1774 to 1778. 1774 for the first two volumes, 1775 for the third volume, 1777 for the fourth and 1778 for the fifth volume (volumes to come are announced at the end of published volumes). Due to the extended publication period, it is rare to encounter a homogeneous set with all the correct edition dates. Each novella is separated by a half-title with an edition statement.
Each novella contains a figure, a half-page title vignette, and a tailpiece by Eisen or Marillier, and engraved by Binet, de Ghuendt, de Longueil... Very beautiful and fine illustration, being 48 figures and 24 tailpieces. The printing, illustration and layout clearly recall the careful editions produced by Dorat. "...but as the illustrations are of the greatest beauty, it is important to obtain the first editions..." Cohen.
Volume I: Fanny, Lucie et Mélanie, Clary, Julie, Nancy. 5 frontispieces, 5 vignettes and 5 tailpieces by Eisen.
Volume II: Anne Bell, Sélicourt, Sidney et Volsan, Adelson et Salvini, Sargines. 5 frontispieces, 5 vignettes and 5 tailpieces, by Eisen.
Volume III: Zénothémis, Bazile, Lorezzo, Liebman, Rosalie. viij pages of sheet music for Sicilian romances. 5 frontispieces, 5 vignettes and 5 tailpieces by Eisen.
Volume IV: Ermance, D'Almanzi, Pauline et Suzette, Makin, Germeuil. 5 frontispieces, 5 vignettes and 5 tailpieces by Marillier.
Volume V: Daminville, Henriette et Charlot, Valmiers, Amelie. 4 frontispieces, 4 vignettes and 4 tailpieces by Marillier and Le Barbier.
Contemporary full brown scaled calf bindings. Raised band spines with ornaments, roulettes at tail and head. Red morocco title labels, and green morocco volume labels. Triple fillet frame on boards. Edges gilt. A small hole at head of volume I, tiny lack at head of volume IV. Rubbing to first raised band of volume I. Upper joints of volumes IV and V narrowly split at head. 3 corners bumped. A 1 cm lack on lower board of volume V. Usage rubbing. Scattered irregular foxing, some leaves yellowed and some yellow dampstain traces. A dampstain trace in left margin of first frontispiece of volume IV. Frontispiece of volume II backed and damaged in its left margin. Absence of half-title in volume II. Spine of fourth volume having lost gilding through rubbing.
Overall, handsome set in quality binding.
Most of Baculard d'Arnaud's tales show an immoderate taste for true anecdotes (historical or picturesque and from various countries: Italy, Germany, Spain) and the author is perfectly representative of this literature that would give rise to the gothic and dark novel. An exacerbated, brilliant sentimentalism animates the author's works, with a certain complacency in depicting evil and a rather morbid pleasure in affects. Were it not for the framework that often defines the gothic novel, and which is absent from D'arnaud's works (except for Le comte de Comminges), the author is very close to this movement in late 18th-century literature.