Essais

Paris: Chez Michel Sonnius, 1595. Paris: chez Michel Sonnius, 1595.

The Definitive edition and the first folio edition. Folio. [24], 523, [1 blank], 231, [1 errata] pp.

Modern maroon morocco. Morocco spine label, raised bands, old gilt edges. Contents skillfully washed and sized, a few marginal tears not affecting text, some scattered pencil marginalia. A very good copy.

This edition, edited by the French bluestocking Marie de Jars, Demoiselle de Gournay (1566-1645), has some claim to be the definitive edition of Montaigne's Essais. Mlle de Gournay, who as a very young girl had travelled to Paris to meet her intellectual hero, was Montaigne's adopted daughter. After Montaigne's death, his widow presented Mlle de Gournay with the philosopher's copiously annotated copy of the 1588 edition of his Essais, the last issued during his lifetime and the first to include the third book. Having inserted Montaigne's additions, marked the alterations, and translated all the quotations, Mlle de Gournay sent the proofs to Bordeaux, where the poet Pierre de Brach collated them against another copy with Montaigne's annotations deposited in the convent of the Feuillants in Bordeaux. "The edition thus produced in 1595 has with justice passed as the standard, even in preference to those which appeared in the author's lifetime" (Ency. Brit.). Copies were also issued with the imprint of Abel l'Angelier.

STC French Books, p. 317; Adams M-1622 (both l'Angelier imprint); Graesse IV, 579 ("aujourd'hui la principale edition de Montaigne, pour l'authenticite du texte").

HBS 66552.

$25,000.