RARE collection of the works of Nicolas Boileau Despréaux. Contains Satires, Epistres, Chants, Epigrammes, Lettres, Les Heros de Roman, Reflexions, Traité du Sublime, etc.. Boileau Despréaux (1636-1711) was since 1677 the historiograph of Louis XIV and from 1648 member of the Academie and a friend of Racines, Molières and La Fontaines. 240x370mm. [450]+[370] pages. [BOTH VOLUMES:] Original red brown full leather hard covers with gilt decoration and gilt lettering on ribbed spine. Page edges. Pages slightly yellowing and lightly age stained. Red and black lettering on title pages. Some smaller and numerous full page b&w engraved plates. [VOL.1]: Cover worn and on few points slightly scratched. Cover corners slightly bumped. Spine edges bumped. Spine coming slightly loose on upper and lower edge of spine. Inner spine slightly loose. Engraved full page frontispiece. [VOL.2]: Cover worn and cover edges bumped. Spine coming slightly loose on upper and lower edges. Inner front spine slightly loose. [SUMMARY]: Both volumes are in good condition for their age.