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Wing L461 (British Library, Bodley; Folger, University of Illinois, Yale; Monash University). Pasted to the inside of the rear cover is a contemporary printed advertisement slip with two columns of "Books printed or sold by William Leak, at the Crown in Fleetstreet, between the two Temple-Gates." A popular and important letter writing manual which includes numerous template letters covering all aspects of daily life. Owned and used by an Italian visitor to London in the 17th century. Jean Puget de La Serre (1600-65) was librarian to Gaston, Duc d'Orléans, and Historiographer of France. Of his many books, the unauthorised La Secrétaire de la Cour (1623) revised by La Serre (he complained in the preface that there had been 30 unauthorised editions) and published as La Secrétaire à la mode (1625), with later supplements, was the most popular, both in French and in the otherwise unknown John Massinger's English translation of which there were six editions from 1640 to 1683. It was also translated into Dutch and Danish and an Italian translation by Girolamo Brusoni was published at Venice in 1661. The text, however, had a much longer life with the sample letters recurring as the base of numerous editions of similar books on courtesy writing through the 17th and 18th Centuries. The 1640 first edition of Massinger's English translation comprised some of the prefatory matter and only the first two parts, comprising [38], 85 pages, as found in this 1658 edition with Part 1 comprised of letters of compliment, mostly seeking preferment or favour at court, with appropriate answers, and Part 2 of letters of consolation and love letters. The second edition of 1654 drops Massinger's name as translator from the title but retains his dedication to Thomas Berney of Gray's Inn and the translator's address to the reader, though both are signed only with his initials. To it are added "instructions for writing of Letters" ([26 pp]), "A Collection of divers Moral Letters, penned by the most Ingenious Wits of France. Collected by Mounsieur La Serre. The Third Part." (p. 111-219), "A Discourse between a Gentleman and a Gentlewoman, divided into seven dayes." (p. 220-233), and "The Complements and Elegancy of the French Tongue. By N. N. Newly Corrected, and Revised." (with a separate title-page; p. [235]-280). It is unlikely that Massinger, who remains unidentified beyond his name, had any connection with the composition or translation of the added material in this or later editions. The 26 "Moral Letters" are mostly of consolation and comfort in time of loss or sickness. They include letters from the poet Jean Auvray (c. 1590-c.1633), the poet and critic Francois de Malherbe (1555-1628), the poet and playwright Francois de Métel de Boisrobert (1592-1662), and the cleric and poet Antoine Godeau (1605-72). There is a single letter from the playwright Jean-Baptise Poquelin, known as Molière (1622-73) to "Thyrsis" (Part 3, p. 60-68) inspired by the arrest of the financier Nicolas Fouquet (1650-80), Superintendant of Finances of France from 1653-61, which took place soon after he threw a lavish party for Louis XIV at his magnificent chateau-palace at Vaux-le-Vicomte which included a first performance of Moliere's Les Fâcheux. The present edition adds to the second, i.e first expanded, edition, "Additions to the Complements and Elegancy of the French Tongue. A most usefull and necessary Work for such as live in great mens Houses, and use to converse in Courtly Companies. Never publish'd before." (with a separate title-page, [4], 52 pp). In the address to the reader Massinger attacks three earlier manuals - "that Malicious Idol the English Secretary, that Image which Nebuchadnezzar the King had set up, the Post with a Packet of Letters, and that most abominable Baal, Balzaac" - Angel Day's The English Secretorie, (seven editions between 1586 and 1625), Nicholas Breton's A Post with a Madde Packet of Letters (numerous editions from 1602), and. Seller Inventory # 245393
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