[BOURBON, L.-A. de]CICERON et DEMOSTHENE. Philippiques by De - Lot 75

[BOURBON, L.-A. de]CICERON et DEMOSTHENE. Philippiques by Demosthenes, and Catilinaires by Cicero. With a letter from the Prince of Lamballe. An exceptional copy bearing the arms of the Prince of Lamballe, with an autograph letter from him. Paris, Barbou, 1765. In-12, havane calf, smooth spine decorated with gilded fleurons and caissons, boards bearing the arms of Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon. 418 pp, (1) ff. Spine and spine ends cracked, some foxing. Fine restoration to margins of last eight leaves. An exceptional copy of these works by Demosthenes and Cicero, translated by the Abbé d'Olivet, in a binding with the arms of Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon (1747-1768) prince de Lamballe, husband of the famous Princesse de Lamballe, a close friend of Marie-Antoinette. Enclosed is an autograph letter signed "L.A.J.S. de Bourbon". Rambouillet, January 18, 1765, 1 p. in-12 in black ink. In this short letter, the Prince de Lamballe, who was only 18 at the time, thanks his addressee for having given him news of Madame de Segnelai's birth, and expresses his delight at the absence of complications; the Prince de Lamballe lost his mother when he was seven, following a difficult delivery. He then informs him of frosts that are hampering his hunting expeditions and forcing him to return to Paris. A fine set from a royal provenance, all the rarer for the fact that the prince died so young.