Oeuvres

New collected edition of the works of Montesquieu.

Illustrated with a fine frontispiece portrait by de Sève and engraved by Littret, appearing here for the first time in its first state, along with two folding maps in the first volume.

Contemporary full marbled calf bindings, spines with raised bands with gilt compartments, floral gilt tooling, and guilloché tooling on the bands, red morocco title labels and green morocco volume labels, boards framed in gilt with floral cornerpieces, gilt tooling on board edges, marbled edges; rubbing to edges and corners, one corner of vol. I worn, some scuffing, small wormtrack with a lack of leather on the front board of vol. I, minor marginal stain on the plate of vol. I and on p. 1 of vol. II, as well as p. 667 of vol. III.

A handsome contemporary binding copy of Montesquieu's works, expanded with the 'Lettres familières'. The edition was prepared by François Richer with the assistance of Montesquieu’s son, based on the author’s manuscripts.

The first volume contains the Éloge of Montesquieu by d'Alembert, Discours de Montesquieu lors de sa réception à l'Académie française, as well as the first twenty-one books of the Esprit des Loix. The second volume opens with the final ten books of the Esprit des Lois, La Défense de l'Esprit des Loix, Lysimaque, Remerciment sincère, and the general index of subjects in the Esprit des Loix. The third volume includes Lettres persanes, Considérations sur les causes de la grandeur des Romains et leur décadence, Le Temple de Gnide, Essai sur le goût, two poems, and his Lettres, which were also published in Italy the same year.