Fables inedites des XIIe, XIIIe et XIVe siecles, et fables de La Fontaine.

rapprochees de celles de tous les auteurs qui avaient, avant lui, traite les memes sujets, precedees d'une notice sur les fabulistes. Paris: Etienne Cabin, 1825. Two volumes, complete. First and only edition, including the first printing of virtually the entire corpus of medieval French fables (excluding those of Marie de France, which had been published by Roquefort in 1820 and which do not appear here). cclxii, 368, [4], 603, [1] pp. Includes a lengthy (over 200 pp.) introduction, which provides biographies of dozens of fabulists who preceded La Fontaine (Brunet: "Morceau interessant"); the text of La Fontaine's complete fables; 185 previously unpublished medieval fables (primarily by the Ysopets); copious notes; a bibliography of important editions of La Fontaine (by A.-A. Barbier); and comprehensive indexes. The illustrations include a frontispiece portrait of La Fontaine, 90 beautifully etched (with roulette) full-page facsimiles (Brunet: "calquees avec une scrupuleuse exactitude sur les dessins de trois manuscrits du XIVe siecle"), and four handwriting facsimiles. Beautifully printed on fine laid paper. Beautifully bound in later 19th century half morocco and gold-decorated boards. Corners slightly smashed, one a little damaged. Hinges weak and 1 broken, but still hold. Small part of the back of vol.2 loose. Inside minor foxing, else internally bright. Brunet III, 755-756: Rochambeau 346; Vicaire IV, 912-913; Bossuat 2540 and 2550; Graesse IV, 74. Rare.