LA FORGE (Jean de). - Lot 30

LA FORGE (Jean de). Le Cercle des femmes sçavantes, Dedicated to Madame la comtesse de Fiesque. Paris : Jean-Baptiste Loyson, 1663. -In-12, soft parchment, smooth spine (contemporary binding). Very rare first edition of this little work of great interest for the history of precious women at the time. It is dedicated to the Countess de Fiesque and was shared between Jean-Baptiste Loyson and Pierre Trabouillet. In the form of a versified dialogue, the author speaks glowingly of nearly 70 French women scholars, over 50 of whom were alive at the time of publication. They are named under pseudonyms, but a key at the end gives their identities. They include Marie Stuart, the Marquise de Sablé, Mademoiselle de Montpensier, the Marquise de Rambouillet, the Marquise de Grignan, Madame Deshoulières, Madame Scarron, Mademoiselle de Scudéry, Madame de La Calprenède and others. The author of this opuscule is Jean de La Forge, about whom little is known. He was also the author of a short comedy entitled "La Joueuse dupée", published in 1664. At the head of the booklet are several verse pieces in tribute to the author, including a madrigal by Boursault and another by François Boulanger. Copy in original condition. Significant ink stains on boards.