BASSELIN (Olivier) & LE HOUX (Jean). Vaux-de-Vire d'Oliv - Lot 455

BASSELIN (Olivier) & LE HOUX (Jean). Vaux-de-Vire d'Olivier Basselin et Jean Le Houx, suivis d'un choix d'anciens Vaux-de-Vire et d'anciennes chansons normandes [...] Nouvelle édition revue et publiée par P. L. JACOB bibliophile. Paris, Delahays, 1858. In-12 dark brown half-maroquin with corners, spine ribbed, gilt title, gilt head. The best edition of this Norman poet. Copy on vellum (the current edition is on laid paper). Marginal foxing and light spotting. Ex-libris JM. "Basselin (Olivier) was born in Val-de-Vire (Calvados), around the middle of the 15th century. The date of his death is unknown, but it seems that he was no longer alive in 1500. Some biogr. suggest that he was killed in 1418, during the capture of Vire by the English, which would put his birth in the 14th century. He wrote chansons bachiques and rondes joyeuse. The 1st edition of his chansons was published towards the end of the 16th century by his compatriot Jean Le Houx. "The entirely literary character of Olivier Basselin's Vaux-de-Vire (say MM. Du Méril Dictionn. du Patois norm., introd., p. xcvi) proves that, in attributing them to a fuller's workman, tradition was misled by a pseudonym, that the Bacchic nature of his verses and the conveniences of his position obliged him to hide behind a popular name, and we have no hesitation in attributing them to Jean Le Houx, a lawyer from Vire, who was the first editor." As for deriving vaudeville from Vaux-de-Vire, the science of etymologists can, on this point as on many others, be at fault, since, basically, the chansons bachiques known as vaux-de-vire bear no relation to the vaudevilles of our day." Frère I, 72.