Books

Paris: P. Didot L'Aine 1795. 12mo. 4 volumes - 2 books bound in 4 parts. 12mo in sixes. viii, 118; [iii], 119-256; 164; [iii], 165-298 pp. Full red straight grained morocco, with elaborate gilt borders, decoration and lettering to boards and spine; marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Slight rubbing to joints and corners and one small area of damage to the top compartment of the spine of volume four, but generally in near fine condition - all volumes are externally clean and bright, especially in their delicate gilt work. Scattered foxing and offsetting throughout. Slightly less famous today than his 'Fables', de la Fontaine's 'Contes' represent his first literary success. A collection of ribald short stories and novellas put into verse taken in part from Boccaccio's Decameron and Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles, it lacks the moralising dimension that marks the famous fabulist's later work; by contrast these tales are libertine, erotic and jaunty - an uncensored…