A Paris, Federic Morel, 1569.
8 parts bound in one 8vo volume [164 x 103 mm] of: I/ (12) ll., 40; II/ 80 ll.; III/ 96 ll.; IV/ 64 ll.; V/ 60 ll.; VI/ 88 ll.; VII/ 80 l.; VIII/ 72 ll. Handwritten letter included. Full red morocco, triple gilt fillet on the covers, spine ribbed and richly decorated, inner gilt border, gilt over marbled edges. Binding signed Hardy.
First collective edition and first reunion of Joachim du Bellay’s works. “First real collective edition, which isn’t with a consecutive numbering of pages, as it will be starting from 1573. Only the general title bears the date of 1569, each of the eight parts (‘L’Olive’ counts for a part) having its own title, dated 1568.” Jean-Paul Barbier, La Pléiade, n°40; Brunet, I, 749; Tchemerzine, III, p.75; Le Petit, pp. 93-94.
“Fine edition, of which poems are printed in italic characters.” (Le Petit, Bibliographie des éditions originales françaises).
This collective edition encloses 698 plays in total, including 93 originals. Here they are, part by part: I/ Deffense: no new play. II/ Olive: 138 plays. III/ Recueil de Poésie: 60 plays. IV/ Enéide: 57 translations and 19 plays, including 9 originals. V/ Divers Poèmes: 99 plays, including 73 originals. VI/ Regrets: 241 plays, including 7 originals. VII/ Divers Jeux Rustiques: 45 plays, including 4 originals. VIII/ Epithalame: 39 plays. That is in total, 698 plays, including 93 originals.
