Lot 190
L'Hopital, Michel de
Rare Books, Manuscripts & Photographs
Auction: Rare Books, Manuscripts & Photographs | 09 May 2007
Description
Epistolarum libri sex. Paris: apud Mamertum Patissonium Typographum Regium, in off. Roberti Stephani, 1585. First edition, folio, large italic letter, printer's 'noli altum' device on title, ornate naturalistic initials and headpieces, contemporary vellum, very slight foxing.
Footnote
Note: BM STC French Books p. 265; Adams L 625; Renouard 186:3; Brunet III 1046.
First collected edition of the poems of Michel de L'Hôpital (1504-1573), one of the greatest chancellors of France, foremost amongst his countrymen in attempts to reconcile both Catholic and Protestant. Throughout his life he cultivated Latin poetry writing particularly on contemporary personages and historical events e.g. the marriage of the Dauphin and Mary, Queen of Scots; the coronation of Francis II; the raising of the siege of Metz; the taking of Calais and the modern art of government. After his death his friends Pibrac, de Thou and Scévoie de Sainte Marthe combined to produce the present volume of substantially unpublished writings, in his memory. It was edited by his grandson, who preserved their chronological arrangement and thus their particular value as a continuous political commentary of the day.