Thomas-Joseph Moult - Propheties perpetuelles très-curieuses et très-certaines. - 1741

12mo (16,5 x 9 cm). 95, [1] pp. Woodcut head- and tailpieces, some printer's flowers. Contemporary calf, gold-tooled spine, blue ribbon marker, red sprinkled edges. Contemporary owner's inscription on paste-down. The paper is slightly browned, the head of the spine is damaged somewhat, the binding is slightly worn; otherwise, it is in good condition.

A rare edition of a curious prophetic work spanning more than seven centuries, ending, remarkably, in our own time.

The book is attributed to Thomas-Joseph Moult, supposedly a 13th-century astrologer and philosopher from Naples. This attribution is almost certainly spurious. The text seems to draw on a 16th-century source, possibly even connected to Nostradamus. First printed around 1740, it enjoyed wide popularity, reappearing in numerous editions well into the 20th century.

The prophecies are arranged in three “livres,” each divided into 28 cycles, corresponding, the author claims, to the sun’s orbit. Each prophecy applies to nine years. The span runs from 1269 all the way to 2024. According to the book, in 2022, the price of grain would fall while the price of wine would rise—an omen with some truth, if only it had forecast cheaper gas! This mixture of astrology, esotericism, and playful prediction makes it a fascinating collectible.

An uncommon survival of Europe’s long tradition of prophecy books, connecting medieval astrology, Enlightenment curiosity, and modern imagination. A desirable item for collectors of esoterica, or Nostradamus material.

References: Caillet 7830; cf. BiblioAstrology 5388 (other eds.).