CORNU (Pierre de).

Ɵ The Poetic Works. Lyon, [Thibaud Ancelin] Pour Jean Huguetan, 1583. In-8, red morocco, triple gilt fillet, ornate spine, interior lace, gilt edges on marbling (Bauzonnet-Trautz). First edition of these early poems by Pierre de Cornu (1558-1623), poet and magistrate from Grenoble. It is of the utmost rarity. A reprint was given in 1870 by Prosper Blanchemain. It is the only poetic collection published by this poet. The volume opens with two books of Amours, including sonnets and songs, sometimes erotic (ex: Mon Dieu le beau téton, mon tout, ma doucelette... and Aproche toy de moy...), composed for a young lady of Avignon of whom he does not cease to sing the beauties and that he apostrophizes in a very cavalier way: I want to suffer / The continual fire author of my martir, / And to crown his beauties in the temple of memory (p. 78). One finds following eglogues and various poetries gathered under the name of Meslanges. Pierre de Cornu distinguishes himself from the Petrarchan poets of his time: his loves are positive to the point of coarseness; not very discreet when he is happy, he is brutal with the cruel ones; but he does not miss a kind of verve preferable undoubtedly in poetry to the languorous complaints of his rivals (Viollet-le-Duc, p. 270). From the libraries of Yemeniz (1867, n°2001), Eugène Chapper and Edmée Maus. Several leaves including the title skilfully restored, with retouching of letters in pen. J. P. Barbier-Mueller, IV-1, n°76. - Baudrier, t. XI, p. 344. - Viollet-le-Duc, p. 270. - Diane Barbier-Mueller, Inventaire..., n°136.