CORNEILLE (Pierre). Œuvres diverses. Paris, Gissey et Bordel - Lot 469

CORNEILLE (Pierre). Œuvres diverses. Paris, Gissey et Bordelet, 1738. In-12, xxxiv-461-[8] pp. Brown calf, spine ribbed and decorated (contemporary binding). A fine copy with wide margins, well bound. Abbé François Granet, editor of this collection, has prefaced it with a preface in which he emphasizes the interest of Corneille's smallest fragments. He has brought together the great tragic's translations of several Latin poems by P. de la Rue and Santeul, as well as the verses he presented to the King on several occasions, and more. For Corneille's youthful productions, he was more reserved. "In cutting out the pieces of licentious gallantry," he says, "I have only followed the example of M. Corneille, who purged his early comedies of anything that might recall the idea." The editor has included 3 madrigals taken from Julie's Guirlande; he has reprinted several pieces that appeared in the original editions of the plays, but which had since been left out; finally, he has reproduced some of the verses addressed by Corneille to his amateur friends and placed by them at the head of their works. Following Fontenelle's example, Granet has endeavored to find the 2 books of Stace translated by Corneille, but has been no more successful than his predecessor. The preface is followed by the Défense du grand Corneille, by Jesuit Father Tournemire. There are 96 pieces in this collection, including various Latin epigrams translated by Corneille. The volume must contain a cardboard box, which is not the same in all copies. In some, it contains only the sonnet on the death of Louis XIII (which is the case of this copy), in others it contains another redaction of the same piece, followed by the Placet au Roy, sur le retard de sa pension. (Picot, Bibliogr. Cornélinne, n°174.) Bookplate De l'Hôpital de Grainville. Ex-libris Villa Rohellou.