Scuddery, Madeleine de

MIXED PARIS EDITION, 10 volumes, vols. 1 and 2 chez Louys Billane, 1666 and 1660; vols. 3-10 chez Augustin Courbe, 1656; 1658; 1660; 1661, 8vo (approximately 7 1/8 x 4 3/8 in.; 180 x 113 mm).  7 frontispieces, 8 engraved illustrations; some minor foxing, folding plate in vol. I trimmed. Uniformly bound in contemporary sheep, spines with raised bands in six compartments, gilt title and text to second and third, other with repeat overall decoration in gilt, all edges speckled in red; some overall rubbing, chips to heads and feet of spines, volume I with loose spine panel loose, some joints loose (vols. I, II, VII, VIII, and IX).  

Early and uncommon mixed Paris edition of one of the most popular and widely translated novels of the 17th century. Despite the Roam veneer of the narrative, Clélie is a celebrated roman à clef. Madeleine de Scuddery (1607-1701), born into a minor Norman aristocratic family, was the quintessence of the 17th century bluestocking. She spoke Spanish and Italian fluently, studied agriculture, medicine, cooking, distillation, drawing and painting, and her studies of Greek and Latin ensured the Classical backgrounds of her novels were sound.