Le Pornographe

Octavo, XII, 492 pp., (4) ff. Contemporary brochure, completely untrimmed, slipcase.

210 x 135 mm.

Restif de la Bretonne, Nicolas Edme. The Pornographer, or Ideas of an Honest Man on a Project of Regulation for Prostitutes, Suitable to Prevent the Ills Caused by the Public Role of Women: with Historical and Justificatory Notes.
London, Jean Nourse, The Hague, Gosse junior, 1776.

“Third edition, partially original, printed in 500 copies, so named by Restif, identical to the second except for the addition of pages 477-492” of this “curious work” (P. L. Jacob).

“ It is unquestionably the most complete and the best” (Rive Childs).

“I made, says Restif, a second edition of The Pornographer infinitely superior to the first. The plan is corrected, the notes increased by three quarters, and countless improvements to the style. Joseph II carried it out.”

Rive Childs, p.214, no.5; P. L. Jacob, p. 102, no.3; Lacroix, pp. 102-104; Bulletin Morgand et Fatout, no.5233; Girault de Saint-Fargeau, Revue des romans, II, p.200.

“In this work, which caused quite a stir, Restif proposes to make prostitution law. Public women were to be cloistered; their lives, their pleasures, their duties, everything is outlined in this singular work filled with obscene details” (Girault de Saint-Fargeau).

“The Pornographer contains the most bizarre and interesting details, at least in this second 1776 edition, for the first only included a small number of historical notes drawn from travels in the four parts of the world. The notes of The Pornographer, which resume on page 477, contain in alphabetical order a reasoned table of the places and ‘public mothers’ of Paris, as well as ancient and modern figures who played an important role in the history of prostitution” (P. L. Jacob).

The Pornographer is the first volume of the famous “graphes” series. Restif aimed to “regulate disorder,” that is, to legislate prostitution. He had a great deal of trouble obtaining the censor’s signature. The work’s success was considerable but the project was poorly received.

“I began The Pornographer, which the censor Chenu, commissioner, returned to me saying that it was to legalize an immoral state. The work was returned to censorship: a Philippe de Pretot refused it again. I managed to get Mr. Marchand, who signed it and gave a favorable report to the lieutenant of police de Sartine. It was printed in April, May and June. The work passed” (Monsieur Nicolas).

“Once on sale, it went very quickly. Some said I was a madman; others, indecent and punishable; a few honored me by viewing me as the zealous propagator of libertinism. Never was a useful project so poorly received: there were barely three or four sound minds in the capital who did me justice. It was quite different in the provinces; almost everyone saw the usefulness of my project.”

Beautiful, entirely untrimmed copy preserved in its original contemporary wrapper.

Provenance: Manuscript ex-libris on the title page “Duhamel”; perhaps the signature of the surgeon Duhamel whom Restif met at Dr. Guilbert de Préval’s home; J. C. Courbin library, with ex-libris.