MALHERBE François de Recueil des plus beaux vers de messieurs de Malherbe, Racan, Monfuron, Maynard, Bois Robert, L’Estoile, Lingendes, Touvant, Motin, Mareschal, et autres plus fameux esprits de la cour. Par le commandement de monseigneur de Moret.

Tchemerzine-Scheler, IV, 357.

First edition under this title of this important collection, composed of 538 pieces, including 475 appearing for the first time.

This volume contains the majority of the poems of François de Malherbe (1555-1628) and we can therefore consider it as the original edition of the works of this poet.

“When Du Bray published the Collection of the Most Beautiful Verses in 1627, a page seemed to have been turned: around the figure of “Monsieur de Malherbe” gravitated those whom he “admitted for his schoolchildren”, Racan, Mainard, Boisrobert, Lingendes . The pleasure of diversity is transcended by the wish to build, around the group of “the most famous minds of the court”, a standard which appears as the aesthetic and linguistic reflection of curial customs. Poetic pleasure, the fruit of extreme work of perfection carried out jointly by the printer and the poet, resides at this date in the promotion of a collectively shared literary value” (see Melaine Folliard, L’Ordre et le Plaisir. Remarks on some peritexts of collective collections of poetry 1597-1627).

Prestigious provenances

This copy belonged to Jean Ballesdens (1595-1675), parliamentary lawyer and bibliophile, with his signature on the title.

“Close to Chancellor Pierre Séguier, Jean Ballesdens owned a library whose volumes are identified by the presence of his handwritten ex-libris, generally inscribed on the title page or at the end of the volume. We note in his library the presence of several bindings produced in particular for Jean Grolier or Thomas Mahieu. As such, he can be considered one of the first amateurs to show, at the end of the 17th century, an interest in old works preserved in their original condition. library was dispersed in 1676, during a sale which met with great success” (see reliures.bnf.fr).

We know that Jean Ballesdens owned nine bindings made for Jean Grolier. Tihis copy belonged later to the mathematician and explorer Charles-Marie de La Condamine (1701-1774), as evidenced by the rubber stamp on the title page. Member of several scientific academies (Royal Academy of Sciences of Paris, Royal Society London, and others), he was elected member of the French Academy in 1760 and received by Buffon. He is famous for having led a French geodesic expedition between 1735 and 1743 to measure three degrees of the meridian in order to determine the shape of the earth.

Some leaves slightly toned. Very good copy of good provenance, preserved in its first binding with the arms of the Marolles family.