Louis Moréri - Le Grand Dictionaire historique - 5e édition - complet en 2 volumes - 1688

MORÉRI (Louis). The Grand Historical Dictionary, or the Curious Mixture of Sacred and Profane History, which contains in abridgment the lives and notable deeds of the patriarchs, the judges, the kings of the Old Testament, the popes of the Church, the Holy Fathers & orthodox doctors, the bishops, the cardinals & other famous prelates; of emperors, kings, illustrious princes & great captains; of ancient & modern authors, of philosophers, inventors of the arts…; the establishment and progress of religious & military orders…; the genealogies of several illustrious families of France & other countries; the marvelous history of the gods & heroes of Pagan Antiquity; the description of empires, kingdoms, republics, provinces, cities, islands, mountains, rivers… with the history of general & particular councils. Fifth edition, revised, corrected and augmented, and divided into two volumes. In Lyons, sold at Jean-Baptiste de Ville, rue Mercière, at la Science; and in Paris, at Denys Thierry, rue S. Jacques, at the sign of the City of Paris, 1688. With the king’s privilege.

2 volumes in folio, COMPLETE; text in two columns, the second volume paginated up to 1362 (article “Zwinger”).

Fifth edition, revised, corrected and augmented, of the famous dictionary by the Abbe Louis Moréri (1643-1680), chaplain to the Bishop of Apt, whose first edition (Lyon, 1674) had founded the genre of the great historical dictionary in the French language. A true encyclopedia of history, biography, geography and mythology, continually augmented up to the eighteenth century, the work became the reference book of the honnête homme and, by its very errors, inspired Bayle’s Dictionnaire historique et critique (1697), conceived to correct it.

Titles printed in red and black, ornamented with a fleur-de-lis, epistle “To the King,” preface, large engraved headpiece at the top of the text, initial letters and tailpieces.

Provenance: old signatures “Cordier” on the title and on a flyleaf, another old signature on the title of the first volume.

Period binding in full calf, spine with raised bands ornamented with gilt compartments, leather title and volume numbers pieces.

Condition: bindings rubbed (losses of leather on covers and at the head and tail), corners worn; interior good, foxing and some marginal damp-stains.