L'espion dans les cours des princes chrétiens ou Lettres et mémoires d’un envoyé secret de la Porte dans les Cours de l’Europe [...] Treiziéme edition. [- Suite de L’espion dans les cours des Princes chrétiens [...]].

2 + 4 vol., 12mo (a few sm. tears without loss, 1 sm. hole taking a few letters in vol. 2).

Contemp. mottled calf (sl. rubbed, some traces of worming), richly gilt spines with 5 raised bands (gilt fading, some def.), brown leather title labels, gilt sides, red sp. edges, marbled endpapers. Good set.

Collection of fictional letters describing Europe, France and its politics in a critical way, claiming to have been written by an Ottoman spy named "Mahmut" at the French court of Louis XIV. This work was started by the Genoese G.P. Marana (1642-1693) in 1684 and was a source of inspiration for the "Lettres persanes" of Montesquieu. Engr. ill.: front., 6 folding plates (i.a. "Veüe des Dardanelles de Constantinople", "Veüe de Constantinople" and "Donquerque") and 18 full-page pl. showing costumes (i.a. "arabes, tartares, chinois, mexicains, anglois, flamands & hollandois, etc.") and 4 portraits, i.a. Richelieu and Mazarin. Titles in red and black.
Ref. Atabey 407. - BnF. - Not in VD18.
Prov. "Bibliothèque du chateau des Guerrots", in Normandy (stamp in each vol.).