Arcana politica, sive de prudentia civili liber singularis

New edition, after the original published in 1627 under the title: De proxeneta seu De prudentia civili. One frontispiece title.
Copy with the cipher and arms of the Duke and Duchess of Montausier.
Contemporary full brown sheep binding. Spine decorated with the crowned cipher of the Duke and Duchess of Montausier (repeated 3 times in each compartment). Brown sheep title label. Boards stamped with arms and ciphers in the corners and triple fillet frame. Red edges. Paper browned. Skilful and fine restorations to headcaps, joints and corners. Gilding faded in places. Good copy.
Major figure of the 17th century, Charles de Sainte-Maure was made Duke of Montausier and Peer of France in 1664, and received the appointment as tutor to the Dauphin in 1668. His marriage to the great précieuse of the time, she who was called the incomparable Julie, Julie d'Angennes, was one of the great affairs of his life. It was for her that he composed La guirlande de Julie, a collection of 62 madrigals composed by the most illustrious poets of the time including himself. The Duke of Montausier was finally the model for Molière's Misanthrope, which is still today one of his claims to fame. As for the Duchess, she was portrayed by Madeleine de Scudery in her novel: Artamène ou le Grand Cyrus. They both constitute eminent symbols of the century of Louis XIV.
Jérôme Cardan (or Girolamo Cardana) is one of the great Italian humanists of the Renaissance. His work, Arcana politica (The Science of the World or Civil Wisdom), appeared posthumously, was very successful and went through several editions.