Les caracteres de Theophraste, traduits du grec, avec les caracteres ou moeurs de ce siecle

Fourth edition, partly first edition as it was significantly expanded. The first three, similar to each other, appeared during 1688. The fourth edition is therefore considered the second first edition. It appeared simultaneously at the Parisian publisher Etienne Michallet, who had indeed shared his privilege with Amaulry since the first editions. Title page in red and black.
Half vellum 19th-century binding with corners. Spine with raised bands decorated with roulettes. Brown shagreen title label. Upper joint split at tail for 8 cm. Small split in vellum at lower joint at head. Rubbing.
This fourth edition is the first to have been completed, it indeed contains 764 remarks against 420 in the first and those that followed.
The writing of the Caractères begins in 1670, but it is only after 17 years of work that La Bruyère decides to publish the Caractères, he is however so unsure of success that he gives precedence to his translation of Theophrastus's Characters in the first editions and it will be necessary to wait for the fifth for the work of the Caractères to assert itself before that of Theophrastus, and for La Bruyère to finally sign the edition with his name.