François Mathieu de BEAUCHASTEAU La Lyre du jeune Apollon ou la muse naissante du petit de Beauchasteau dedicated to the king Paris, by Charles de Sercy and Guillaume de Luynes, 1657 Bound in red marocain by Hardy (Parisian bookbinder active between 1850 and 1880), spine gilt with small iron, gilt edge Ex-libris of Charles COUSIN with the motto "C'est ma toquade. Jean went away as he came" and ex-libris of Paul Desq First edition Freckles, scratches and wear to the binding, spine and headband damaged François Mathieu de Beauchasteau is the son of a king's actor and would have written these verses at the age of twelve. This child prodigy would have been presented in several European courts and sometimes locked up with a subject to write pages to be published by his parents. This is the only known work by this young author. This collection of gallant verses is in two parts: the first contains texts by authors and courtiers praising the young poet, the second begins with a sonnet dedicated to the King, which the author wrote at the age of nine; followed by pieces, epigrams and madrigals dedicated to personalities or authors of the time. The work is illustrated with portraits of the dedicatees, the King, the Queen, the Queen of Sweden, Fouquet, and of course the author.