French Literature of the 18th-20th century from Librairie Clavreuil

Librairie Clavreuil has published their second catalogue of literature, Littérature Seconde Partie 1701-1944. It follows from the first part, which we reviewed in October. This one covers milestones in French literature from the 18^th - 20^th century, works displayed in chronological order. It is a thick, well-illustrated and thoroughly described collection of French works, populated with many of the most notable authors, Voltaire, Chateaubriand, La Fontaine, Baudelaire, Dumas, Montesquieu, Balzac, Hugo, Racine, Proust, Stendhal, Diderot, Gide, and many more. The books are in the French language, as is the catalogue. It is a spectacular production, looking like a coffee table book except one that is filled with information. It is worthy of the books it displays. These are a few selections.

We begin with an important work of political science. The author is Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, generally known as just Montesquieu. His work is De l’esprit des loix (the spirit of the laws), published in 1748. In it, he expounds on three types of government, the republic, monarchy, and despotism. In a republic, the people get full rights of citizenship. He then breaks this form of government down into two types of republics. In one, rights of citizenship are broadly spread through the population. This type he deems a democratic republic. In the other, these rights are shared by a limited portion of the population. This type he calls an aristocracy. The second form of government he labels a monarchy. This is a government run by a ruler, but one whose power is limited by a set of laws which restrain him. The final type is despotism, a government run by an unchecked ruler. Montesquieu goes into much more detail, including separation of powers. His work became very influential, not just in France, but including America, where his ideas greatly influenced the founders when they planned their new government 30 years later. Item 124. Priced at €25,000 (euros, or approximately US $27,350).

Next is Le Rouge et le Noir. Chronique du XIXe (The Red and the Black. A Chronicle of the 19^th Century). The author is Henri Beyle, better known by his pen name Stendhal. It is a story about a young man named Julien Sorel, son of an ordinary family who seeks to climb high in Paris society. He quickly learns that deceit and dishonesty are the tools he needs to employ. He manages to charm a few important people along the way, but it all comes to an end after he is convicted of and executed for murder. Stendhal is considered a writer ahead of his time, a developer of the psychological novel. This is a first edition of what many consider Stendhal's most important work. Item 190. €48,000 (US $52,540).

This is one of the most important works ever created in France, a massive undertaking which came to be a statement of the principles of the Enlightenment. Spearheaded by Denis Diderot, and for a while Jean d'Alembert, this is the Encyclopédie, ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers, par une Société de gens de lettres (Encyclopedia, or Reasoned Dictionary of the sciences, of the arts and crafts, by a Society of Men of Letters). Intended to be a more limited undertaking, it grew over the years into an extensive encyclopedia of knowledge. Diderot brought in over 200 writers to cover everything from science, the mechanical arts, aesthetics and morality. When it became too controversial and government approval was withdrawn, d'Alembert bowed out, but Diderot soldiered on. Publication would then take place in secret. It would take 30 years to complete, with 35 volumes containing 2,796 plates. Publication ran from 1751-1780. What it is best known for is that it became an advocate of reason and a promoter of liberty and tolerance at a time when such values were in short supply. It would be an influence on the French Revolution, though that would take a turn near the end that had little to do with the ideals of the Encyclopédie. Item 126. Price available on request.

The French are noted for their fables but they are mostly associated with the famed fabulist Jean de La Fontaine. Another, though not so well-known, was Antoine Houdar de la Motte. Unlike La Fontaine, La Motte composed all his own fables, rather than adopting ancient ones. He seems to have been respected, though it appears that his collection of fables is noted more for the work of the illustrators. There are vignettes accompanying the fables, many by Claude Gillot, who also engraved them himself. It has been described as one of the most beautiful books of the period in France. The title is Fables Nouvelles, dédiées au Roy (New Fables dedicated to the King). That was Louis XV. He would end up reigning for 59 years, but at the time this book was published, 1719, he was only in the fourth year of his reign and still but nine years old. It seems likely he would have enjoyed fables. Item 115. €3,000 (US $3,280).

Hector Berlioz is remembered as one of the great musical composers of the 19th century. He is not known for being a writer of text, but here is a book of his works, 25 short stories collected in one volume. The title is Les Soirées de l’Orchestre (Evenings of the Orchestra), published in 1852. It is a humorous book about a group of less-than interested performers, subjected to performing mediocre music and operas. It mixes reality with fiction, as the musicians' conversations touch on the sad state of much of the current music. While set in a mythical city where the inhabitants are all musicians, he does describe the Paris Opera as a “crazy lover of mediocrity.” Berlioz had had some of his work, though appreciated by critics, ignored by the public at that time, so he may have had a bit of an ax to grind. Item 211. €650 (US $710).

Librairie Clavreuil in Paris may be reached at +33 (0) 1 43 26 97 69 or basane@librairieclavreuil.com. Stephane Clavreuil Rare Books in London may be reached at +44 (0) 798 325 2200 or stephane@clavreuil.co.uk. Their website is found at www.librarieclavreuil.com.