Rare work - This "biography of Jean de la Fontaine" by Gatien de Courtilz de Sandras (1644-1712), in reality a richly documented historical novel on life at the time of Louis XIV -

Engaged in the company of the Musketeers, Courtilz de Sandras left the army after 18 years to become a polygrapher and live from his pen. He is willingly presented as an adventurer and a whimsical writer. He made several stays in Holland where he had his writings published. On his return, this prolific and reckless author was imprisoned in the Bastille for 6 years (1693-1699) -

"The Memoirs of Sir Jean Baptiste de La Fontaine" is one of his great works. Published by the fake publisher "Pierre Marteau" when Courtilz de Sandras had just left the Bastille, these memoirs are a real adventure novel, and contain in particular a long account of life in this sinister prison -

If the memoirs of the Chevalier d'Artagnan by the same author provided Alexandre Dumas with the material for an immense literary success, these "memoirs of La Fontaine" nevertheless offer an abundant mine of piquant details borrowed from the gallant chronicle and scandalous of the Court of France. These apocryphal memoirs of the famous fabulist are thus a valuable source of historical information -

The work ends with a table of 24 pp. which gives an outline of a great precision on the contents of this work. Excerpt from the table: "Bordeaux (madame de) goes to the countryside to flee the galans"; "Chapelier de Villefort, he likes to dress as a woman"; "Captain of the Hunts of Mr. Trimouille, written in a haughty manner to Sr. de Fontenai"; "Investigation of the Danish Crown Jewels", "Spies, the Sieurs de Fontenai & de Vau go to Poitou in this capacity. What they discover & what they write to the Court"; "Musketeers, insolence of a musketeer".

Little amusing handwritten dedication at the end of the book -

Gatien de Courtilz de Sandras - Memoirs of Sir Jean-Baptiste De La Fontaine - 1700 - 471 + (24) pages -

Correct condition of the binding, work in its period full brown leather, good condition of the covers and the spine, rubbing from use, some scuffing on the covers, lack on the upper cover, spine with raised bands, edges pigmented in red , gilt titling on morocco piece -

Good interior condition, marginal light waterstaining in the upper margin, pretty bands, beautiful initials, tailpieces -

Delivery service guaranteed within a few days -