Histoire de la Vie Privee des Francais, depuis l'origine de la Nation jusqu'a nos jours

Three volumes, complete. SECOND EDITION (first edition 1782, with some copies re-issued with a new title-page in 1783) of this scholarly, encyclopedic, and highly entertaining history of French gastronomy. This edition has been carefully corrected--and much documentation has been added--by Jean-Baptiste-Bonaventure de Roquefort, one of the outstanding scholars of his generation, who specialized in medieval literature and culture. [2] leaves; VI, 448 pp.; [2] leaves; 431 pp.; [2] leaves; 482 pp. The author originally set out to write an extensive work covering all facets of private life in France, but only this first part--which covers everything related to cooking, wine, eating, and hunting--was published. Discusses the origins of cooking tools and techniques, the provenance of all kinds of foods (including, of course, foodstuffs that came from the New World), and much more, including an extensive section on hunting. A classic. PRINTED ON FINE LAID PAPER. 8vo. Attractively bound in contemporary quarter calf and marbled boards. Spines dry and faded, else a fine and bright copy with very large margins and very white paper. Vicaire Gastronomique 510 (Not knowing of this specific edition, but calling the work "Ouvrage tres interessant et tres utile."); Bitting 280 ("This is one of the finest works upon the social life of the French people."); Thiebaud 576. A RARE AND IMPORTANT WORK.