Paris, Louis Billaine, Denys Thierry, Frederic Leonard et Claude Barbin, 1668.
2 parts in 1 volume 8vo [172 x 112 mm.] with (3) ll. including (1) bl. l., the engraved frontispiece and the title, (3) ll. for the notice to the reader, 76 pp., (1) l. for the extract of the privilege, (1) bl.l., (6) ll. for the Discours sur la Satire.
Bound in red full morocco, triple gilt fillet on covers, spine ribbed and finely decorated, inner gilt border, gilt edges. Binding from the end of the 19th century signed by Allo.
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Extremely rare edition, widely enlarged, of the Satires by Boileau.
It is actually the third original edition of the Satires by Boileau, including the ‘Satires VIII et IX’ and the ‘Discours sur la Satire’ in first editions.
Picot, Catalogue Rothschild, 944; Tchemerzine, I, 738; Rahir, La Bibliothèque de l’amateur, 329; Le Petit, 392-393; Emile Magne, Bibliographie générale des Œuvres de Boileau, I, 20.
“Very rare first edition, it includes the satires I-IX and the Discours sur la Satire.” (Tchemerzine)
“Enlarged edition including the ‘Discours sur la Satire’ and the ‘Satire’ IX in first editions.” (Rahir)
“The collection contains the ‘Discours au Roi’ and the ‘Satires’ I to IX…
This third edition of the ‘Satires’ remained unknown until now. The fourth edition, given by the same booksellers in the same year, in a smaller size, let us think that this one probably existed ; but Mr. Berriat-Saint-Prix could not discover it, and Mr. Brunet couldn’t either.” (Picot)
“An interesting edition, which contains in addition to the previous ones the ‘Satires’ VIII and IX and the ‘Discours sur la Satire’. Since this edition and the previous ones don’t include an imprint, it is difficult to know if the ‘Satire’ VIII was published for the first time in the 8vo that we describe here or if it was first printed separately in the 12mo 1668 booklet that we described at the end of our previous article. But it is certain that the ‘Satire’ IX, in which the poet makes a fool of various contemporary writers, on the pretext of criticizing his own faults, as well as the ‘Discours sur la Satire’, are in first editions in the 1668 8vo.” (Le Petit, 392-393)
“Fifth collective edition of the Satires, including in addition to the previous ones, the ‘Satires VIII et IX’ and the ‘Discours sur la Satire’.” (Magne, Bibliographie des Œuvres de Boileau, I, 20)
A beautiful wide-margined copy, preserved in its elegant red morocco binding, of this rare literary work by one of the leaders of the ancients during the Quarrel of the ancients and the moderns.
Our researches allowed us to locate copies in only two public Libraries: B.n.F. and Bibliothèque de Versailles.
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