Histoire comique
“ One of the most subversive texts of its time .” (B.n.F.)
“ A forerunner of science fiction, Cyrano de Bergerac (1619-1655) is inspired here by Campanella, Descartes, Galileo and Montaigne and presents very bold ideas for the time ” (B.n.F.)
Only one copy of this precious edition in the collective catalog of the B.n.F.
The copy of Félicité de Lamennais, writer and philosopher.
12mo, (24) ff., 191 pp.
Brown calf, ribbed spine with gilt decoration, black morocco title label, gilt fillet on edges, red edges, some foxing. Binding circa 1720.
127 x 81 mm.
Cyrano de Bergerac, Savinien de (1619-1655). Comic history. By Monsieur de Cyrano Bergerac. Containing the States & Empires of the Moon.
Paris, Charles de Sercy, 1659.
Definitive first edition, the secondof the greatest rarity (only 1 copy in the collective B.n.F. catalogue), where the errors indicated in the errata of the true first are corrected, while the colophon states “for the second time on March 8, 1659”.
The two editions of 1650 and 1656 mentioned by Tchémerzine after Brunet do not exist.
(Lachèvre, Les Œuvres libertines de Cyrano, II, 309).
As for the true first edition of 1657, only 3 copies are recorded to date, making it now absolutely unobtainable.
This novel by Cyrano, now recognized as one of the most subversive texts of its time, criticizing the monarchy, advocating the Republic, denying the immortality of the soul, etc., was issued in 1657 by Le Bret through the Paris bookseller Charles de Sercy, in a truncated form to avoid censorship.
“A precursor of science fiction, Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac (1619-1655) displays in this novel the full extent of his boundless imagination, curiosity of mind and freedom of thought. In a narrative blending fantasy, scientific realism and poetry, he presents a set of philosophical, scientific and religious theories inspired by Campanella, Descartes, Galileo and Montaigne, extremely bold for the era” (B.n.F. Utopie, no. 99).
“Cyrano de Bergerac can be said to be a forerunner of Voltaire. His Histoire comique des États et Empires de la Lune (1657) and Histoire comique des États et Empires du Soleil (1662), both volumes translated into English (...) combines ideas from the new discoveries in astronomy with satirical comments on religious and political beliefs of his day to produce two works that many science fiction scholars argue should be included in the canon of early science fiction masterpieces” (Bradford Lyau, The Anticipation novelists of 1950s French science fiction : stepchildren of Voltaire, Jefferson, 2011, p. 25).
Precious copy in an early binding circa 1720, from the library of Félicité de Lamennais (1782-1854), writer, philosopher and politicianwith his handwritten ex-libris “F. de La Mennais” in brown ink opposite the title; armorial ex-libris erased on the front pastedown (slight corner dampstain pages 120-144).
One copy in the Catalogue collectif de France (BnF).
Tchémerzine II, 708, d; En français dans le texte, 97 (first edition); Raymond Ruyer, L’Utopie et les utopies, p. 175; Catalogue des livres rares et précieux provenant de la bibliothèque de M. F. de La Mennais, 1836, no. 111.
