This volume includes extensive provenance annotations to the front free endpaper. The top annotation places this volume in the collection of Louis Cesar de La Baume-le-Blanc, duc de la Valliere (1708-1780), a French bibliophile. The second, longer inscription states that the book originally belonged to Augustin Damiens (whose bookplate appears on the title page) and suggests that this may have been the brother of Robert-François Damiens, who attempted to assassinate Louis XV in 1757 and was executed for his crime. The inscription credits Languet’s writing with inspiring Damiens’s attempted regicide. After Damiens, according to the inscription, the book was next owned by the poet and dramatist Marie-Joseph Chénier (1764-1811).

Octavo, 264 pages. In Very Good minus condition. Bound in full brown calf with red morocco label to spine and gilt ornamentation to spine and boards. Housed in quarter morocco slipcase with marbled paper covered sides, showing some rubbing and wear but still solid. Rubbing to edges and corners of boards, head and tail of spine. Joints starting to split along leather. Bookplates to front pastedown and title page, several annotations to front free endpaper, and a small archival repair to upper margin of title page. Text block lightly age-toned and foxed throughout. RW Consignment.