First French edition and the first translation into the vernacular, following the original Latin text published in the Elementa physiologica in eight volumes between 1757 and 1766. Copy with unidentified arms, bearing angular ermine spots on the covers. The Rohan or Rohan Chabot families affixed only the emblems or charges of their heraldry to their books, but we have been unable to identify a family behind the use of ermine spots, as these occur in too many coats of arms.
Contemporary full mottled calf bindings. Spines gilt in compartments with thistle tools. Red morocco title- and volume-labels, gilt-tooled. Gilt roll at foot. Triple gilt fillet border on covers with angular ermine spots. Geometric roll on turn-ins. Speckled edges. Three corners rubbed. Traces of wear to joints and edges. One endpaper lacking in vol. I. A handsome, well-preserved copy.
Significant study devoted to the phenomena of generation, fertilisation and embryology, with a description of the sexual organs and their functions... It is worth noting that while male pleasure is mentioned on several occasions, female pleasure is entirely absent from the commentary.