«Merge Record #»«Title» - Schulz-Falster Rare Books

4to, engraved frontispiece portrait, pp. cxxiv, with title vignette and
decorated initials; printed on heavy paper; contemporary full mottled
calf, spine gilt, with gilt-lettered spine label, sides with decorative gilt
floral tooling; a few manuscript corrections in the text; heraldic
bookplate to front paste-down and contemporary ownership inscription
to front free endpaper; possibly a large paper copy.
First edition, rare, of the French translation of Il Letterato Buon Cittadino, by the
Italian Enlightenment author Luigi Gonzaga di Castiglione, together with his Essay
Analytique sur les Decouvertes Capitales de l'Esprit Humain, a speech he had given
at the London Royal Society the same year, and finally his essay on poetry,
Réflexions su la Poesie. Gonzaga di Castiglione (1745-1819), a maverick
Enlightenment figure, of noble birth and independent means but who renounced his
title, was clearly influenced by Rousseau and other figures of the European
Enlightenment. He was at home in Venice, Rome, Paris and in London, where he
spoke at the Royal Society.
In the title essay Gonzaga di Castiglione differs from his 'hero' Rousseau and
professes the importance of literature as a source of happiness and a means to
illuminate politics, the law and all human activity. The contribution of the writer is as
important as that of the scientist in fighting ignorance and falsehood, and as an
embodiment of the new values of intelligence, creativity and virtue. Gonzaga di
Castiglione comes out in support of a constitutional monarchy, and was arguably the
first to talk of liberty and democracy in Rome.
In his Royal Academy essay he suggests the application of modern scientific methods
to the study of modern social and political questions, to the relationship between the
Church and the State, and praises the enlightened rulers of the time, who have
turned their back on despotism.
Barbier II, 855 (edition limited to one hundred copies only); RLIN lists just one copy,
at Harvard.
Goudar's European Peace Project
35.
[GOUDAR, Ange.] La Paix de l'Europe ne peut s'etablir qu'a la suite
d'une longue treve ou Projet de Pacification génerale. Combiné par
une suspension d'Armes de vingt ans, entre toutes les Puissances
Politiques. Par M. le Chevalier G***. Amsterdam, Chatelain, 1757.
£ 2400
12mo, pp. [viii], xxxviii, with one blank; 3-244,, xxiv, marginal paper
fault in A2, no loss; contemporary half tan sheep over pale yellow
boards, spine in compartments, ruled in gilt, gilt-lettered spine label,
foot of spine chipped, and leather a little dry; a fine and very clean and
crisp copy, from the L.G. Larue collection, and with circular stamp of
Bibliotheca Comitum de Goertz to title page.