Poesies françoises de Gilles Menage

New and very rare edition, printed in a small number of copies by the author himself.
Contemporary full marbled brown sheep binding. Decorated raised spine. Dark brown morocco title label. Rubbing, some scuffs on boards.
In 1652 appeared Aegidi Menagii Miscellanea published by Augustin Courbé in which were gathered for the first time French, Latin, Greek, and Italian poetry. Menage who had obtained a privilege allowing him to print Divers opuscules de vers et de proses for 10 years, before it reverted to Courbé, thus had several poetry pieces printed in very small numbers which he intended for his friends, as with this copy which has the particularity of presenting only a half-title, with editorial information at the end. This is a collection of gallant and amorous poetry tinged with preciosity, including L'oiseleur and other poems, dedicated to Madame de La Fayette and another to the Marquise de Sevigné. It is said that Menage was very much in love with all these women, and that his pretensions were the laughingstock of the salon of the Countess de La Fayette where he was well received, his poetry being welcomed as tributes intended to entertain. Menage however had enough particular relations with Madame de Lafayette that they composed together the famous novella: La princesse de Montpensier.