La Nouvelle Héloïse ou Lettres de deux amans, habitans d'une petite ville au pied des Alpes

Parisian counterfeit of the first edition under this title, the previous ones were indeed entitled Lettres de deux amans (of which the original appeared in 1761). The publisher Duchesne took the liberty of changing the original division of the letters (Volume 1: 65 letters, volume 2: 48 letters, volume 3: 26 letters and volume 4: 24 letters). Title pages in red and black. It is illustrated with a frontispiece by Cochin and twelve fine hors-texte plates engraved by Le Mire with borders by Gravelot. These figures are the same as those of the original edition, except the twelfth. In reality this is the first illustrated edition containing these figures because the original edition was published initially without figures, a collection of prints being published separately. This edition contains the two prefaces, notably the famous second dialogue.
There exist two Duchesne editions dated 1764, one octavo more carefully produced and the other duodecimo with substantially different typographical material; thus, if the title pages appear similar at first glance, they are in fact different, the first line is bolder, the second line in red is solid and its letters are not composed like the octavo of small circles.
Contemporary full brown marbled calf bindings, smooth spines decorated with havana and pale green morocco title and volume labels, triple gilt rules framing the boards, gilt fillets on edges and headcaps, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, all edges red. Volume I: Headcap partially lacking, upper joint cracked at head, one lack at tail, 4 corners bumped. Volume III: lacks at head and tail, 3 corners bumped and lacks at lower edges on upper board. Volume IV: Lacks at tail and head, micro crack to upper joint at head, 2 tears along lower joint. Set rather fresh, one dampstain in margin of frontispiece of volume III, some leaves more yellowed.

This great sentimental novel enjoyed very lively success from its publication, 4000 copies of the original edition were printed and the work had no fewer than 70 editions between 1761 and 1800. Demand became so strong that publishers began renting volumes by the day and even by the hour. The work was placed on the Index in 1806 for offense to church values. The Duchesne edition seems to have had a print run of 750 copies.