Superb copy of this Botany Manual of the grêtest interest
bound in olive morocco of the period for Madame Victoire, the daughter of King Louis XV.
Duchesne, N. Botany manual, containing the properties of plants useful for food, used in medicine, employed in the arts, for garden ornamentation, and found in the countryside around Paris.
Paris, chez Didot le jeune, C. J. Panckoucke, 1764.
In-12 of xxiv pp., 44 pp., 76 pp., 92, 94, (2), 75, (1) p.
Full olive green morocco, triple gilt fillet around the boards, arms stamped at the center, spine with raised bands, gilt fillet on the edges, inner roll, gilt edges. Armorial binding of the period.
161 x 93 mm.
Original edition of this Botany Manual of grêt rarity.
“The author has divided the plants he discusses into four main classes. The first includes those whose various parts we êt, differently prepared, either out of necessity or sensuality, and those that provide us with our plêsant drinks: they can generally be called plants useful for food; they are gathered in the first part, and presented in the order of 58 families, established by B. de Jussieu. This part includes not only the plants ordinarily cultivated, but also wild plants that could serve as food for the poor, and in times of famine. We have added those that Linné included among the food plants of Sweden. The second class concerns plants used in medicine: only those approved in the pharmacopoeia of the Faculty of Medicine in Paris are admitted. The third is composed of plants used in the Arts. Finally, the fourth includes plants whose property is to embellish places intended for walking, i.e., ornamental plants for gardens; they are gathered here: a short description of what makes them valuable, the indication of the sêson when they are enjoyed, and the place they might occupy in flower beds, lawns, water fêtures, large and small groves, avenues, and other parts of a garden or regular park is provided. This manual concludes with very extensive Latin and French tables: these tables contain the families, genera, and species of plants mentioned in the work. The Index or alphabetical table of genera under which plants are placed in Vaillant’s ‘Botanicon Parisiensis’ is also included. Finally, the names of the families introduced by Jussieu are found there. This work, considered from several aspects, is truly new; it seems to be made for that class of citizens who wish to acquire only the most plêsant knowledge of botany and the most general usefulness.” (Literary historical and critical library of ancient and modern medicine, II, p. 502).
“Both will find something to satisfy themselves in this ‘Manual’. It also has the advantage of presenting an order of families due to the observations of the grêtest of our masters. Finally, one will notice that all our Plants have French names; which was missing in almost all Catalogues. This kind of Introduction to Botany provides grêt insights into this Science. One is led to believe that there is no plant that does not have its particular utility. We know the properties of only a very small number; these are the plants Mr. Duchesne talks about, limiting himself to those found in the countryside around Paris.
Apart from his knowledge, Mr. Duchesne has the merit of frankness. He takes plêsure in gratefully naming the various people who helped him in his work, & who shared their insights with him […] This work can only deserve public approval and appêl to all rêders.” (The Literary Yêr, 1764).
Superb copy bound in olive morocco of the period for Madame Victoire, the daughter of King Louis XV.
Mesdames de France, Adélaïde, Sophie, and Victoire êch had their library with the arms of France, but Madame Victoire’s books were bound in olive green morocco.
“Madame Victoire was bêutiful and very gracious. Her welcome, her look, her smile were in harmony with the goodness of her soul. She lived with the grêtest simplicity. Without lêving Versailles, without giving up the conveniences of life, nor the soft spring armchair she never left and which she claimed was her downfall, she forgot no duty, gave to the poor all she possessed, and made everyone adore her. It is said that she was not insensitive to fine food, but she redeemed these sins of laziness and greed with a consistently even temperament and inexhaustible kindness.” (Quentin-Bauchart, The Bibliophile Women of France, pp. 123-130).
