ROUSSEAU (Jean-Jacques). Émile, ou De l'Éducation. ÀLaHaye, - Lot 70

ROUSSEAU (Jean-Jacques). Émile, ou De l'Éducation. ÀLaHaye, chez Jean Néaulme [i.e. Paris, Nicolas-Bonaventure Duchesne], 1762. 4volumes in-8, (2dont la seconde blanche)-viii-(2)-466-(6dont la dernière blanche) +(4dont les 2aux versos blanches)-407-(uneblanche) +(4dont les 2aux versos blanches)-384 +(4dont les 2aux versos blanches)-455-(uneblanche)pp., marbled fawn calf, smooth spines cloisonné and fleuronné with garnet-red title-pieces, triple gilt fillet with corner fleurons, filleted edges, red edges; without the blank leaf counting for pp.359-360 of vol.III; headpieces and corners a little rubbed, one headpiece with a small tear and another with a small wormhole, 2 leaves badly trimmed and angular stain on the last leaves of vol.II (contemporary binding). First edition in in-8 format. The Maréchale de Luxembourg, Jean-Jacques Rousseau's patron, set out to find him a more generous publisher than Marc-Michel Rey in Amsterdam. She consulted Malesherbes, the director of the bookshop, who in turn took advice from bookseller Hippolyte-Lucas Guérin, who suggested bookseller Nicolas-Bonaventure Duchesne (a business associate of Pierre Guy). Duchesne felt he should only print the edition of l'Émile in in-12 format, but Rousseau insisted that there should also be in-8 copies, which he felt were more expensive but better suited to this type of work. After negotiations, it was agreed that there would be two editions: an in-12 edition, with the false address of Jean Néaulme in Amsterdam, completed first, and a second edition in in-8 format (simply reprinted) with the false address of Jean Néaulme in LaHaye, begun before the in-12 edition was completed and completed shortly afterwards, but distributed first. The work was reprinted many times from 1762 onwards and, translated into English and German, was widely distributed in France and Europe, fuelling intense debate. Copy with 4 inserts: ff.A5 (pp.9-10) and B4 (pp.23-24) of vol.I; ff.H3 (pp.117-118) and N6 (numbered I6* as in the in-12 edition, pp.203-204) of vol.II. Delicate illustration based on drawings by Charles Eisen: 5 copper-engraved plates out of text. Provenance: "A.Fleury, P.S. de Sées (Orne)" (handwritten bookplate on verso of first endpaper of first volume).