Saint-Foix, [ 6/6] - Essais historiques sur Paris, Histoire de l'ordre du Saint-Esprit, lettres Turques, Théâtre [ 6/6] - 1778

Complete collection of 6/6 volumes from the 18th century, large quarto format (see photos).

Paris, Veuve Duchesne (Cl. Simon de Clousier Printing House), 1778; six volumes, large-format octavo; full calf, 2 plates outside the text in volumes I and II, engraved by L. Halbon and Le Beau after Marillier and taken from the plays "L'Oracle" and "Les Grâces".
At the beginning of the first volume is a historical eulogy of the author.
FIRST EDITION: Theatre, volumes I–II; Turkish Letters (a pamphlet on the customs of the time), volume II; Historical Essays on Paris, volumes III, IV, V; History of the Order of the Holy Spirit, with biographical notices on its members from 1578 to 1608.

Poullain de Saint-Foix, a highly quarrelsome man, was as well known for his duels as for his literary works; in 1764 he was appointed historiographer of the Order of the Holy Spirit.

Born in Rennes (1698–1776), the spirited Saint-Foix first pursued a military career that took him from the musketeers to serving as aide-de-camp to Marshal de Broglie in Italy, during the war against Austria. Upon returning to Rennes, he stayed only briefly before moving to Paris, where he divided his time between the theatre and quarrels. His Historical Essays on Paris are in fact a sort of history of the French people, full of anecdotes and all kinds of curiosities about the customs, beliefs, and witty sayings of different eras.

Volumes I and II: Theatre and Turkish Letters; volumes III, IV, and V: Historical Essays on Paris; volume VI: History of the Order of the Holy Spirit;

Pagination:
Vol. 1: xvj + 592 pages.
Vol. 2: tables + 598 pages.
Vol. 3: tables + 470 pages.
Vol. 4: tables + 440 pages.
Vol. 5: tables + 470 pages.
Vol. 6: tables + 514 pages.

Contemporary full-leather bindings, quarto format "20 x 13 cm", gilt-decorated raised bands on spines, title labels, volume numbers, headpieces, tailpieces, title pages printed in red and black, half-title pages, 2 attractive plates outside the text. At the beginning of the first volume is a historical eulogy of the author. Complete set of 6/6 (see photos).

The photos supplement the description.
A very fine, complete 18th-century copy.
Order shipped with a tracking number.