François Auguste Paradis de Moncrif - Les Chats -
François Augustin Paradis de Moncrif - Les chats - A Rotterdam: Chez Jean Daniel Beman, - VIII, ] p.: ill. - contemporary binding, marbled spine and boards, handwritten title vignette - 8vo, cm.Illustrations: intaglio printing, 6 engravings outside the text, 1 folding table.Car. Coijpel (artist), T. Otten (engraver)Condition: Some wear, crisp paper and beautiful engravings.¶ First work entirely devoted to the apology of the cat. This work of Moncrif was the first book in history devoted exclusively to cats. Written in the form of letters addressed to a lady of the court, the book is both a scientific study of the status of cats throughout history and an entertaining work, featuring pleasant and funny parts such as a theatre play for cats (with a feline chorus), fables, love letters of cats, etc. The illustrations also contributed to the success of the book: one can see cats dancing on a roof, a cat-king, a cat-god, etc. Although it was published anonymously, it was soon known that Moncrif was its author, and when he was received at the Académie française, a joker released a cat in the middle of the audience. Read More