159. WALPOLE (Horace) & LOUIS XVI (trans.). Règne de Ric - Lot 159

159. WALPOLE (Horace) & LOUIS XVI (trans.). Règne de Richard III ou doutes historiques sur les crimes qui lui sont imputés, translated from English by Louis XVI, printed on the manuscript written in full by his hand with notes. Paris, Lerouge & Debray, 1800, In-8, xxix, 263 p., grained fawn basane, smooth spine decorated with gilt palm irons, cold framing on the boards, gilt fillet on the edges. First edition of the translation illustrated with a frontispiece. The publisher was attending a burning of papers found in the wake of revolutionary events when he thought he recognized Louis XVI's handwriting. He discreetly put the manuscript in his pocket and studied it at home with a magnifying glass to convince himself of its authenticity. As incredible as this story may seem, it is true, and the manuscript, which contains numerous corrections by Louis XVI himself, is now kept in the library of Yale University, USA, as ms 24 19 800; its digital copy is available online. Binding lightly rubbed with small deposits to be cleaned, some foxing. In identical bindings: - ANDRIEUX (François-Guillaume-Jean-Stanislas). Contes et opuscules en vers et en prose, suivis de poésies fugitives. Paris, A. Renouard, An VIII (1800). in-8, iv, 184, [1] f. (errata). First edition. - CAMPENON (Vincent). L'Enfant prodigue, poem in IV songs. Paris, Delaunay, 1811. In-8, 289 p., [1] f. First edition of this oriental parable. - DAUNOU (Pierre Claude François)]. Essai historique sur la puissance temporelle des papes, sur l'abus qu'ils ont fait de leur ministère spirituel et sur les guerres qu'ils ont déclaré aux souverains, spécialement ceux qui avaient la prépondérance en Italie. Paris, Le Normand, 1810. In-8, viii, 383 p. Second edition revised and corrected by Daunou on his translation of the anonymous Spanish original.