Folard - L’Esprit - 1760

War as Science: Polybius Read by 18th-Century Officials
Opera, the capital of eighteenth-century military reflection, L’Esprit du Chevalier Folard distills and systematizes the tactical thought of Jean-Charles de Folard based on his famous commentaries on Polybius's History. Published explicitly for the direct use of officers, the volume functions both as a practical manual and a theoretical manifesto: a rigorous reinterpretation of ancient warfare applied to modern conflicts. The structure of the book reflects a precise idea of military knowledge, founded on historical continuity, disciplined forms, and the translatability of classical experience into operational language. The numerous folded copperplate illustrations, with their clear geometric layout, transform the text into a practical tool where theoretical reasoning constantly interacts with the visualization of the battlefield space. The work fully belongs to that European era in which war was conceived as a rational science, governed by calculation, order, and historical memory.
Market value
In the European antique market, complete examples of the eighteen folded engraved plates generally range between 600 and 900 euros. Higher valuations are reserved for copies in good contemporary binding with relatively fresh paper. Iconographic completeness is a key factor in valuation, as the plates are often missing due to the practical use of the volume.

Physical description and condition
Volume in contemporary calfskin, with a nervured spine decorated in gold. Pages with scattered foxing, consistent with the paper quality and long circulation. Illustrated with eighteen folded lithographic plates, all present. In ancient books with a multi-century history, some imperfections may be present that are not always noted in the description. Pages: (2), 16, 302, (4).

Full title and author
The Spirit of Chevalier Folard, taken from his Comments on the History of Polybius, for the use of an officer.
Amsterdam, Compagnie des Libraires, 1760.
Jean-Charles de Folard

Context and Significance
The text was born in a moment of profound reform in European military thought, when the experience of succession wars and continental conflicts made it evident that a theoretical systematization of tactics was necessary. Folard, a supporter of deep formations and discipline inspired by Roman models, engaged in a polemical dialogue with the then-dominant linear tradition, anticipating some of the major debates that would mark the 18th-century military landscape. The publication of the volume was driven by Frederick II of Prussia, a ruler and military theorist, indicating the direct interest of political power in military reflection based on history, reason, and order. The work thus represents a meeting point between classical erudition, military practice, and statecraft.

Biography of the Author
Jean-Charles de Folard was born in Avignon in 1669 and died in 1752. An officer and military theorist, he participated in numerous campaigns and became famous for his Commentaries on Polybius, in which he proposed a radical reform of modern tactics through the revival of models from ancient Rome. His ideas sparked heated debates across Europe and profoundly influenced 18th-century military culture, even when they were challenged or reinterpreted.

Printing history and circulation
The 1760 edition represents one of Folard's main posthumous syntheses, designed for broad and functional dissemination among officers. The dual editorial indication Amsterdam–Lyon reflects strategies of international circulation and a desire to reach both the French and European markets. The folded plates, often subject to loss, testify to the practical use of the volume as an operational manual rather than a library book.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
ICCU – Central Institute for the Single Catalog, SBN OPAC. Presence of records related to the eighteenth-century editions of Esprit du Chevalier Folard, with variations in place of publication and editorial information.
WorldCat. International censuses of 18th-century editions of Folard's text.
BnF General Catalog. Copies preserved in the military history and science of war collections.
Brunet, J.-C., Manual of the bookseller and book lover, Paris.
Quimby, R. S., The Background of Napoleonic Warfare, New York.
French Biographical Dictionary, entry Folard.