MONTAIGNE Michel de Les Essais. Édition nouvelle, prise sur l’exemplaire trouvé après le décès de l’autheur. Revue &augmentée d’un tiers outre les précédentes impressions.

Desan, 29.

Geneva edition, known as ‘Leyde B’, “avec la ‘vie de Michel de Montaigne’ and a table of the ‘plus rares remarques de son livre’.

It is probably the work of Pyramus de Candolle (alias Jean Doreau), who was printing books in Geneva at the time… The censorship of Montaigne’s text carried out in 1595 by Simon Goulart was not followed for this edition, which was based on the L’Angelier edition of 1598 (Desan).

This edition, known as ‘Leiden B’, differs from the pirate edition known as ‘Leiden A’ by having a slightly different title page and by the presence of the very important table, absent from the pirate edition.

A fine, very clean copy.