CAYLUS (Marie Marguerite, Le Valois de Vilette... Lot 37

CAYLUS (Marie Marguerite, Le Valois de Vilette de Murçay, Comtesse de). Les Souvenirs de Madame de Caylus. Amsterdam, Jean Robert, 1770. In-8, viii-174 pp. midnight blue morocco, spine ribbed and decorated, title, place and date gilt, fine gilt lace framing the boards, fine interior gilt framing, gilt edges (Chatelin). Rare first edition of the memoirs of Marthe-Marguerite Le Valois de Villette de Mursay, Marquise de Caylus (1671-1729), niece of Madame de Maintenon in the style of Brittany. These memoirs, interesting for the history of the court of Versailles at the time of the Sun King and for the history of Madame de Maintenon, were published by Voltaire, who said that "everything Madame la marquise de Caylus relates is true". They were reprinted in 1804 by Louis-Simon Auger, and in 1860 by Charles Asselineau, as well as several times in contemporary editions of the Mercure de France. A very fine, elegantly bound copy.