Georges de scudery - poésies diverses dédies au duc de richelieu - Chez augustin courbe à paris, 1649 - extremely rare first edition of this collection, which testifies to the poetic maturity of its author after a mixed debut, mocked by boileau for his verses deemed vain. "The poet's sensitivity and constant attention to the refined tastes of his audience make this collection one of the most successful of its time, and place the author [...] among the finest versifiers of the first half of the century. He also played a key role in the "querelle du cid", anonymously publishing his observations, criticizing the layout of certain scenes and other aspects of Corneille's masterpiece, which the Académie française, freshly established by richelieu 2 years earlier, was to decide. Period binding in full calf with double gilt filleting on the boards, 5-rib spine with ornate caissons, epidermal wear, cracked jaws and missing leather, binding nonetheless solid overall. Fairly fresh inside, but the first white endpaper is missing, and there is some old wetness along the lower margin. Tchermézine, v, 775 / brunet, v, 250 indicates ("a copy bound in fawn calf was sold alone for 37 fr. 50c. Giraud", a price that may be considered very high for the period). Small in-4, (20) 328pp.