Monsieur de Saint-Evremond - Oeuvres de Monsieur de Saint-Evremond - 1714-1714

Charles de Marguetel de Saint-Denis, seigneur de SAINT-ÉVREMOND. Works of Monsieur de Saint-Évremond, published from the author’s manuscripts. With his life. New edition, reviewed, corrected, augmented, with notes, and written by M. Des Maizeaux. In London, at Jacob Tonson’s, and sold by the French booksellers in the Strand, 1714.

4 volumes small in-12 (16.5 x 9.5 cm): volumes I, II, IV and VI.

Volume One: 356 pp
Volume Two: 406 pp
Volume Four: 430 pp
Volume Six: 310 pp

Titles printed in red and black, wood-engraved vignettes (flower baskets). Fine frontispiece portrait engraved in volume I: Saint-Évremond in a medallion, with the quatrain “I am but little severe, yet wise / Philosophe, yet in love…”.

Saint-Évremond (1614–1703) is one of the great figures of the libertine spirit of the seventeenth century. Exiled in England after his disgrace in 1661, he remained there until his death and was buried in Westminster Abbey. A moralist, critic and Epicurean, he saw his writings long dispersed in pirated editions. This London edition, established by his friend Des Maizeaux from manuscripts, is reference. It includes notably the Comedy of the Academists, a satire of the French Academy, and The Idea of the Woman Who Is Not to Be Found.

Provenance: old ink signature “C. Duplan” on the titles.

Bindings from the period in full mottled brown goatskin, spine with five raised bands richly decorated with gilt compartments, red morocco spine labels, marbled edges, preserved endbands.

Condition: bindings worn. Capitals torn or worn, joints cracked, significant epidermures on the covers, missing tomaison piece on one volume. Interior fresh, good-quality paper, rare foxing.