Oeuvres. Suivant le copie imprimé è Paris, chez Charles de Sercy, [Amsterdam],

Two engraved frontispieces by P. D. Schoonebeeck.

2 parts in one vol. 8vo. [2]ff. 276pp. [4]ff. 366pp. Contemporary sprinkled calf, spine gilt in compartments, marbled pastedowns. 

Paris: Charles de Sercy,

Contrefaçon of the first collected edition of the works of the French court poet Isaac de Benserade (1613-91). The first volume contains Discours sommaire de monsieur L. T. (i.e. Abbé Paul Tallemant)touchant la vie de monsieur de Benserade and Rondeaux choisis tirez des Metamorphoses d'Ovide. The second volume is devoted to the libretti of the 24 ballets, many of which had music by Lully, which Benserade composed for Louis XIV and his court, and texts which established the ballet as a genre in France.

Benserade's success in this sphere, due to the delicacy of his personal allusions, made him famous, wealthy, and a member of the Académie Française, (OCFL, p,. 59).Benserade's most famous poem was his Sonnet sur Job, written in 1651; this became a rival to the Urania of Voiture and divided the French court into Jobelins and Uranists, who disputed which poem was superior. In the end Corneille had to intervene to appease the quarrel which divided the literary world. Apart from the first edition of 1697 and this contrefaçon, this collected edition has never been republished and is a very important source for these ballets.

In excellent condition.

Tchemerzine II, p. 147/8. Beaumont, p. 52.

Stock Code: 245512