[POLYBE] FOLARD, Chevalier de. Histoire de Polybe nouvelleme - Lot 114

[POLYBE] FOLARD, Chevalier de. Histoire de Polybe nouvellement traduite du grec par dom Vincent Thuillier, Bénédictin de la Congrégation de Saint Maur. Avec un commentaire, ou un corps de science militaire, enrichi de notes critiques et historiques, où toutes les grandes parties de la guerre, soit pour l'offensive, soit pour la défensive, sont expliquées, démontrées, & représentées en figures. A very useful work, not only for general officers, but even for all those who follow the party of arms. One of the most important illustrated military treatises of the 18th century, in its original homogeneous period binding. Paris, Pierre Gandouin, Julien-Michel Gandouin, Pierre-François Giffart and Nicolas-Pierre Armand, 1727-1730. 6 vol. in-4, fawn marbled calf, ribbed spines, caissons adorned with gilded fleurons and spandrels of royal crowns, boards framed with stamped triple fillet, gilt roulette at the edges, red edges. 2 ff.n.ch. - LXXIV - LXXX - 286 pp. ; XLII - 510 pp. ; XLII - 5 ff.n.ch. - 434 pp. ; XLVIII - 482 - 1 f.n.ch. ; XXXVIII - 508 (and two pages "LXXVIII" and "LXXIX" interspersed) ; C - 558 pp., a portrait-frontispiece, 126 plates including 75 fold-outs, among which 4 maps including Italy, Greece and Sicily, 10 engraved bands and a few figures in the text. Spine slightly creased with rubbing to the nerves, rubbed and sometimes worn headbands, tired jaws including four box-height splits, rubbed edges, some overall spotting, rare foxing. First edition of this rare and impressive military treatise in Vincent Thuillier's version, illustrated with no fewer than 126 burin or etching plates, including 75 fold-outs. Chevalier de Folard began his work in 1709, after the battle of Malplaquet. More than a translation of the ancient text, which was the work of Dom Vincent Thuillier (1685-1736), this edition offers a powerful vision of the art of warfare, in which Folard criticizes the tactics in vogue and even contributes innovative ideas such as a horse float. Complete in 6 volumes, it is divided into three treatises independent of Polybius' text ("traité de la colonne", "traité de l'attaque des places anciennes" and "traité de la défense des places") and the translated text, with personal considerations added such as a dissertation on mines or one on the Punic wars. The portrait-frontispiece of Claude Le Blanc (1669-1728) in the first volume, to whom the work is dedicated, was executed by Drevet after Le Prieur. The plates, though anonymous, are nonetheless splendid scenes of sieges and naval battles, mostly in burin and sometimes masterfully completed in etching. A fine copy of this admirable work, with a fresh interior. Sources : - Brunet, IV, 791