LA FONTAINE, Jean de (1621--1695)
[Fables. 1792]
Fables choisies; mises en vers par J. de La Fontaine. Nouvelle édition, ornée de figures en taille-douce. Tome premier. (... quatrieme.)
A Lausanne chez François Lacombe. Henri Vincent, imprimeur, 1792.
4 vols ; 18.2 cm. (8º)
I: LXXXVI, 114 p., engr. frontis., LX pl.
II: 120 p., LXI--CXXIV [i.e. 56] pl.
III: 160 p., CXXV--CLXXXVIII [i.e. 64] pl.
IV: 206 p., CLXXXIX--CCXLVI [i.e. 59] pl.

Includes the 'Vie de La Fontaine' by M. de Montenault, first included in the editions of La Fontaine's 'Fables' in the edition of Desaint & Saillant, Paris, 1755--59. Plates are unsigned and through-numbered in roman numerals. Some of the plates also bear alternative numbers in arabic numerals, bottom left. There are two plates numbered 'CLXXXIX' at the beginning of tome IV, one captioned 'La Perdrix. Fable. CLXXXIX. Discours à M.de la Sabliere.' with alternative numbering '98', the other captioned 'Les deux Rats le Renard et l'Oeuf. Fable. CLXXXIX.' with alternative numbering '97'.

Copy Notes Bought from John Cumming for £1 8s., 19 May 1802 (Spiers Box. Misc. Booksellers). Inscribed in pencil on vol. I front free-endpaper £2.2.- and on half-title £1,8-. Booksellers' codes in ink and pencil on rear free-endpaper.

Binding C19th marbled sheep, stained turn-ins, gilt-tooled borders, gilt-tooled spine, green morocco spine-labels, blue endpapers, green edges.

Reference Number 397