Variations de la monarchie française, dans son gouvernement politique, civil et militaire ; avec l'examen des causes qui les ont produites : ou Histoire du gouvernement de France, depuis Clovis jusqu'à la mort de Louis XIV ; divisée en neuf époques

First edition of this ambitious work recounting the history of power in France from Clovis, by a man of letters who two years later would be elected to the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres.

Contemporary bindings in marbled brown calf, spines with five raised bands framed by a gilt roulette, further decorated with compartments of gilt fleurons in the form of pomegranates, light brown morocco title and numbering pieces, gilt fillet on the board edges, red edges, pastedowns and endpapers of shell-pattern marbled paper.

Corners bumped, light wear to the joints. On the first volume, a few faint scuffs and scratches to the rear board. A fine copy overall.

Scattered foxing and some browning throughout.

In the first volume, a loss affecting the text at pp. 257-260; in the second volume, a marginal tear of 3.7 cm; in the third volume, a stain in the margin of pp. 294-295.

"This book remained in the hands of the police for a long time, and was subjected to considerable deliberation on the part of the ministry."

Christophe Cave, Louis Petit de Bachaumont, Suzanne Cornand, "Mémoires secrets pour servir à l'histoire de la république des lettres en France, depuis 1762 jusqu'à nos jours: Années 1766-1769", 2009

(our own translation)