Marcel Guguianu, Muse

COMAZZI (Giovanni Battista). Morale des princes, translated from the Italian by Count J. B. Comazzi. The Hague: Neaulm, 1754. - 4 volumes in-12, 160 x 92: (2 ff.), 36, 164 pp., (1 f.); (2 ff.), 209 pp., (1 f.); (2 ff.), 236 pp., (1 f.); (2 ff.), 238 pp., (1 f.). Red morocco, gilt roulette with floral and bird motifs framing the boards, ornate ribbed spine, inner gilt roulette, gilt edges over marbling (period binding). First edition of the French translation by Jean-Baptiste Dupuy-Demportes (17..-1770), of this work by Italian historian, poet and political theorist Giovanni Battista Comazzi (1654-1711). In the Nouvelles littéraires of July 20, 1754, we find this chapter dedicated to this work: "The author wanted to establish his system of morality on historical facts, and to do this he follows the history of the Roman emperors, from Caesar to Constantine Chlore; he takes the main features of the life of each prince, he looks for the views and causes, and judges, according to the principles, if they were right or wrong, and why; thus each historical fact gives occasion to a moral maxim [...] The Chevalier Comazzi's work [...] deserves [...] much credit; there are ideas, views, precision and nerve in the expression, traits of force, true things, said with boldness and with more boldness than one would expect from an Italian" (Nouvelle littéraire, July 20, 1754, in : Correspondance littéraire, philosophique et critique by Grimm, Diderot, Raynal, Meister, Etc., Garnier frères, 1877, II, pp. 166-167). At the head of the first volume appear, with a special pagination, "quelques pensées détachées du même Auteur sur les Ministres". A fine and rare copy in contemporary red morocco. The head of the last volume is missing, there are a few small wormholes in the binding, and one corner is dull. The leaves of booklet A in the first volume and booklet G in the third are bound out of order. Light staining on top edge of leaves in third and fourth volumes.