Beauchasteau (François-Mathieu Chastelet, dit le Petit de) - La Lyre du jeune Apollon, ou la Muse naissante du Petit de Beauchasteau, dédiée au Roy - 1657

Beauchasteau (François-Mathieu Chastelet, known as Le Petit de).
La Lyre du jeune Apollon, or the Muse nascent of the Petit de Beauchasteau, dedicated to the King.
Paris, Charles de Sercy and Guillaume de Luynes, 1657.
Two parts in one small quarto volume, flexible vellum of the period, spine with blind raised bands.

Original edition of this rare poetic collection attributed to the young Beauchasteau, a child prodigy then about twelve years old. The first part opens with numerous pieces composed in his praise by writers and courtiers; the second gathers his sonnets, madrigals and epigrams addressed to Louis XIV, to the queen, to Mazarin and to the principal contemporary figures. Some pieces are in Italian and Spanish.

Two parts with separate pagination: [88]-262-[24] and [8]-127-[3] pages. The second part ends indeed on page 127, followed by the colophon: "À Paris, de l’imprimerie de Nicolas Foucault, M.DC.LVII". Complete copy of its text.

Careful printing, sometimes in red and black, adorned with a title engraved with the lyre emblem, armorial borders, a composition representing Apollo surrounded by the Muses, as well as numerous fleurons, initials and tailpieces.

Copy lacking all of the engraved portraits outside the text, notably the author’s frontispiece portrait and those of the dedicataires. Ancient handwritten note giving the name François-Mathieu Chastelet on the title.

Period binding worn, stained and rubbed, with damage to the joints and hinges. Gatherings loose; last leaf partially detached. Paper slightly browning, some foxing, damp stains, folds and marginal tears, with no notable impact on the text.

Rare original edition, complete with the text and preserved in its period vellum, but heavily devalued by the absence of the portraits.