Joachim DU BELLAY. La Deffence, et illustration... Lot 142

[Joachim DU BELLAY]. La Deffence, et illustration de la Langue Francoyse. By I.D.B.A. In-8, burgundy morocco, triple fillet, nicely decorated 2-nerved spine, interior lace, gilt edges ( Godillot). Brunet, I-749 // Cioranescu, 8298 // Tchemerzine-Scheler, III-38 // USTC, 40665. (48f., last blank) / a-f8 / 99 x 161 mm. Extremely rare first edition of one of the founding texts of the French language. Born into a noble family in 1522, in Liré, Anjou, Joachim Du Bellay devoted himself from adolescence to the study of classical literature. With his wealth of knowledge, he moved to the courts of François I and Henri II, where he indulged in gallantry like his fellow poets. Nicknamed the French Ovid, he joined the Pléiade along with Ronsard and Baïf. He followed his uncle Cardinal Du Bellay to Rome, where he spent three years, before returning to France and being appointed canon and archdeacon of Notre-Dame de Paris. In delicate health, he died some time later, in 1560, at the age of thirty-eight. His Deffense et illustration de la langue francoyse is remarkable for its style and subject matter. In it, he argues that the French language can rise to the heights of the Greek and Latin languages. To develop the original powers of the national language, Du Bellay gives a whole series of tips on how to enrich lexicon and syntax, create new genres and regulate versification (En français dans le texte, no. 49). The first edition is very rare. A note by Jean Bourdel indicates five or six known copies, including one at the BnF, the others at Mouravit, Fugger and Tannery. This note is erroneous, as there are at least nine copies in public libraries, including three in France. This in no way detracts from the rarity of this edition, which is very difficult to find. This copy passed through the hands of Lucien Scheler, who noted in pencil on one endpaper: Collationné L.S. Réglé. A very fine copy, perfectly established by Godillot.