Item #13465 Traitté de la politique de France. Par monsieur P.H. marquis de C. Paul Hay du Chastelet.
Traitté de la politique de France. Par monsieur P.H. marquis de C.
Traitté de la politique de France. Par monsieur P.H. marquis de C.

Traitté de la politique de France. Par monsieur P.H. marquis de C.

Cologne: Chez Pierre du Marteau [i.e., Brussels: P. Vieugart], 1669. Counterfeit edition, published in the same year as the original. One of at least three editions published in that year. The original edition was printed in Amsterdam by Elzevir and is 264 pages in length. Woodcut vignette of a globe on title-page. Some light foxing, armorial bookplate, ink signature on front free endpaper, old ink ownership mark mostly removed from title-page. A very good copy. Old vellum with later gilt stamping on spine, new endpapers. Twelvemo. [8], 166 pp. Item #13465

The present work is a treatise on France under Louis IV. It examines the monarchy, the aristocracy, the clergy, the French economy, and foreign relations. The author condemns the persecution of the Huguenots, considers ways to reduce the excessive number of monks and nuns, and favors tax reforms in order to reduce poverty and increase the population. The king was offended by this work, and had the author sent to prison when his identity was discovered. Paul Hay du Chastelet (b. ca. 1630) was the son of an illustrious French lawyer of the same name, who served as the first secretary of the French Academy. In addition to the present work the younger Hay du Chastelet is the author of Traité de l’education de M. le dauphin (1664).

Willems 1602. Spengler, French Predecessors of Malthus, p.12.

Price: $450.00

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