“‘The old Government had the “Généalogistes du Roi,” for proofs of nobility, and the “Juges d’Armes,” such as d’Hozier and Cherieu. The Monarchical Governments of this century had the “Conseil du Sceau des Titres,” now suppressed. The archives of these officers are now dispersed, part to the Bibliothèque Nationale (Cabinet des Titres), part to the Hôtel de Soubise (in the series M. and MM.), part to the Ministère de la Justice (for the period after 1789). In short, the equivalent of the Heralds’ College of England never existed in France. However, the Conseil du Sceau had some similarity to that body. There is no Heraldic Society, yet some persons, without legal authority, occupy themselves with questions of nobility, but they necessarily cannot be regarded as altogether trustworthy. Not knowing of a Heralds’ College in France, I cannot accuse the Commune of having burnt the archives. The fires of 1871 destroyed the parochial registers (entries of birth, marriage, and death) preserved at the Hôtel de Ville, and in the Library of the Louvre, which included some precious MSS. containing some correspondence of the last two centuries.’”“ARTHURVICARS,Ulster.”
“‘The old Government had the “Généalogistes du Roi,” for proofs of nobility, and the “Juges d’Armes,” such as d’Hozier and Cherieu. The Monarchical Governments of this century had the “Conseil du Sceau des Titres,” now suppressed. The archives of these officers are now dispersed, part to the Bibliothèque Nationale (Cabinet des Titres), part to the Hôtel de Soubise (in the series M. and MM.), part to the Ministère de la Justice (for the period after 1789). In short, the equivalent of the Heralds’ College of England never existed in France. However, the Conseil du Sceau had some similarity to that body. There is no Heraldic Society, yet some persons, without legal authority, occupy themselves with questions of nobility, but they necessarily cannot be regarded as altogether trustworthy. Not knowing of a Heralds’ College in France, I cannot accuse the Commune of having burnt the archives. The fires of 1871 destroyed the parochial registers (entries of birth, marriage, and death) preserved at the Hôtel de Ville, and in the Library of the Louvre, which included some precious MSS. containing some correspondence of the last two centuries.’”
“ARTHURVICARS,Ulster.”
It will be seen that reference is made in the above letter to a certain un-official Heraldic Society, but shortly after the above correspondence was published, even that body was dissolved.
In May, 1895, there was sold by auction in the Hôtel des Ventes, in Paris, the whole of thearchives accumulated by the French Heraldic College. Although it is true the institution was never anything but a private enterprise, it had had an uninterrupted existence of more than half a century, during which period a great store of genealogical documents had been amassed relating to the titled families of France. It was founded in 1841 by the Marquis de Magny, the compiler of the well-known “Livre d’Or de la Noblesse de France,” but the present generation of Frenchmen did not care sufficiently for rules of precedence and genealogical trees to support the institution. Hence the sale, consisting, it is computed, of 40,000 genealogical trees, and about 400,000 original family documents.
As to Frenchmen generally, they seem now to attach little importance to heraldry, and few literary men place arms on their book-plates. In fact, as M. Henri Bouchot observes: “Le blason à fait son temps, il ne se rencontre plus guère que dans les travaux des héraldistes et détonne un peu en ce moment.”
As a simple guide to French heraldic terms may be mentioned: “Traité Complet de la Science du Blason,” par Jouffroy D’Eschavannes. Edouard Rouveyre, rue des Saints Pères, Paris, 1880. This contains an excellent “Dictionnaire des Termes de Blason.”
Heraldically interesting is the ex-libris of the library of the Château du Verdier de Vauprivas, French King of Arms, with the old war-cry of the Bourbons,Mont-Joye St. Denis! and the owner’s motto, “Fear no Evil.”
“Clisson assura sa Majesté du gain de la bataille, le roi lui repondit: Connestable, Dieu le veeulle, nous irons donc avant au nom de Dieu et de Sainct Denis.”—Vulson de la Colombière.
BOOK-PLATE OF DU VERDIER, FRENCH KING OF ARMS.
FROM 1574 to 1650 French book-plates were not numerous, and very few dated examples are known, but the age of the plates can generally be approximately decided by their style.
The French shields of this first period are almost invariably square in form, slightly curved at the bottom. As a rule, on early plates the supporters hold the shield upright on a base which rises on each side, or occasionally on a mosaic platform, on the squares of which are emblazoned the principal charges of the shield. This latter decoration, although exceedingly rich in appearance, seems to have fallen rapidly into disuse after 1650. At first the metals and colours are irregularly emblazoned, next they are indicated by the initials of their names, and finally (after 1638) are shown on the present system, although, it must be admitted, that on early plates the tinctures cannot invariably be relied on. French engravers, having the love ofbeauty more strongly developed than the desire for strict heraldic accuracy, often introduced shading in such a manner as to make it difficult to discriminate between heraldic and non-heraldic lines in their work. Prior to 1638 it was not unusual to “trick” the arms, by placing on them the initials of their metals or colours, as “o.” for or, “ar.” for argent, “g.” for gueules, etc.; whereas soon after the publication of the “Tesseræ gentilitiæ” of Father Sylvestre Petra Sancta, it became the custom to employ dots and lines in conventional forms to indicate colours, metals, and furs in heraldic engravings, in the simple but effective manner which is still employed. Of the early plates, many are of large size, suitable for the folio volumes which then formed the bulk of all libraries. The ex-libris of Lyons are especially notable for their magnitude, as, for example, that of Claude Ruffier.
As in many cases designers’ or engravers’ signatures are found on plates which have no owners’ names, the use of the termanonymous, applied to such ex-libris, would have been ambiguous or misleading. I have, therefore, spoken of ownerless plates as nameless.
I have already alluded in the Introductory Chapter to the three most interesting dated French plates before 1650, namely:Caroli Albosii, 1574, of which a facsimile is here;Alexandre Bouchart, 1611, reproduced by M. Bouchot; andMelchior de la Vallée, 1613, which has been reproduced in both the “Archives de la Société Française” and the “Ex-Libris Journal.”
There is a fourth plate, dated 1644, yet to bedescribed, and a few additional notes about the above will be given, as we reach them in their order.
First, there can be no doubt as to the authenticity of the label ofCaroli Albosii, or Charles Ailleboust, Bishop of Autun, whose father had been doctor to Francis I., and died at Fontainebleau, in 1531.
BOOK-PLATE OF THE BISHOP OF AUTUN.
Charles Ailleboust is described in the histories of the time as having been a handsome man, of courtly manners and great learning. He was educated for the Church, but he also obtained several court appointments, through the interest of his father’s many friends, and was procureur-général in the province of Lyons. He died in the town of Autun, on December 29, 1585, and was buried in the Church of Saint Jean-de-la-Grotte.
On his episcopal seal his arms are shown as a chevron between three trefoils within a bordure. No mention is made as to the extent or nature of the library left by this Bishop of Autun, but his ex-libris was found in a work printed in Lyons in 1566, entitled “Les secrets miracles de Nature.”
One of the most curious points about this remarkable label is that it exactly synchronizes with the earliest known dated British book-plate, namely, that of Nicholas Bacon. But for the solace of our national vanity it may be said that the latter is the more important of the two, being a coloured armorial woodcut.
Amongst the finest examples of plates before 1650 may be named the series of three, in different sizes, engraved forJean Bigot, Sieur de Sommesnil (the head of a Norman family of famous book-lovers).
All three plates are nameless; the arms are irregularly emblazoned, whilst the helmet and supporters are drawn in such an antique style as to give the plates the appearance of even greater age than they possess. Possibly they may have been copied from some very old painting. Later on this Bigot has another suite of armorial book-plates engraved with his name,Johannes Bigot. In these the tinctures are indicated on the shield by their initial letters. As a collector his son Emeric was even more famous, and added greatly to the library he inherited from his father. He had three armorial ex-libris, one large, and two small, on which the tinctures are correctly shown, with the name,L. E. Bigot. These are allsigned with a monogram formed of B and D entwined.
Emeric Bigot was born in 1626, so that it is possible that his plates were engraved a little later than 1650.
He was certainly the leading bibliophile of his day, at once the most cultivated and the most liberal in the acquisition of rare books. Contemporary writers mention his literary taste and his fine library, which at the time of his death contained about 40,000 volumes. These he left to a member of his family, Robert Bigot (who also had a book-plate), but eventually they were sold in Paris in 1706.
The following ex-libris have also been identified as belonging to this period, either by the names, the arms, the mottoes, or by the signatures of the artists affixed to them:
Charles de Lorraine, Evêque de Verdun (1592-1631). Fine armorial plate, without the owner’s name.
Alexandre Bouchart, Sieur de Blosseville. Engraved by Léonard Gaultier, dated 1611, and already described on page 12.
Melchior de la Vallée, dated 1613, an armorial plate of extreme rarity. The inscription reads thus: “Melchior a Valle protonotarius Insignis Ecclæ Sancti Georgi Naceis Cantor et Canonicus Henr II. D. Lotharin. et Barri eleemosinarius.” On account of its extreme rarity this ex-libris had long been the subject of doubt and curiosity to collectors, even Mons. Poulet-Malassis had not seen it, and blundered in his notes upon it.
At length Dr. Bouland gave afacsimileof it in theArchives de la Société Françaisefor February, 1895.
The actual engraving measures exactly six inches by four, and in the lower portion the date (1613) is boldly engraved. Dr. Bouland, in his notes upon it, says that thisfacsimileis taken from the only original copy that is now known to exist, in the possession of Mons. Lucien Wiener, Curator of the Lorraine Museum in Nancy. One other example was discovered some time since, but was unfortunately destroyed in a fire. The design (which it may be said is more curious than beautiful) was at first attributed to Callot, but it is now believed to have been the work of Jacques Bellange, a painter and engraver, who was born in Nancy in 1594, and died about 1638, consequently he might well have produced work of this description in 1613. Melchior de la Vallée was an ecclesiastic, with a passion for collecting rare books and curiosities; unfortunately he incurred the displeasure of Charles IV., Duke of Lorraine, was accused of sorcery, and cruelly burnt alive in 1631.
Chanlecy. The nameless armorial plate of an ecclesiastic belonging to this Burgundian family, quartering the arms of Semur and Thiard.
Claude Sarrau. Armorial plate in two sizes; the larger one only is signed Briot, although it is probable the same artist, Isaac Briot, engraved both. The owner’s name does not appear on either plate. Claude Sarrau, councillor to the parliament of Paris, died in 1651. His correspondence with thesavants of the day was edited and published by his son Isaac in 1654.
De Chaponay. Prévôt des Marchands de la Ville de Lyon in 1627. Two handsome armorial plates, quarto and octavo, without the owner’s name. The quarto plate has the arms of Chaponay imposed upon those of family connections; lions support the shield, which rests on a platform composed of a mosaic pattern of all the principal charges found on the various shields. This is a very fine decorative plate. Signed Joan Picart incidit.
“Ex Libris Alexandri Petavii in Francorum curia consiliarii. Pauli filii.” This is the fine armorial plate of Alexandre Petau, who inherited a splendid library from his father, Paul Petau, conseiller au parlement de Paris, born in 1568, died in 1613. On the death of Alexandre his manuscripts were purchased by Christina of Sweden, who bequeathed them to the Vatican. The printed books were sold at the Hague in 1722, along with those of Mansart, the famous architect. On the plate the shield rests on a mosaic platform, composed of the principal charges in alternate squares correctly tinctured. Motto: “Moribus antiquis.” This plate is reproduced by Poulet-Malassis.
Louis Brasdefer. In two sizes, each having the owner’s name. Arms surrounded by two branches of laurel; the tinctures are indicated by their initial letters.
BOOK-PLATE OF ALEXANDRE PETAU.
Ex-libris of Guillaume Grangier.Guillelmus Grangierius. Faict à Nancy par J. Valdor. An armorial plate, with six lines of Latin verse. Theartist, Jean Valdor, a Liègeois, was residing in Nancy in 1630, which approximately fixes the date of this plate; he afterwards went to Paris, where he was living in 1642.
Auzoles, Sieur de la Peyre, of a family of Auvergne, author of “La Sainte Chronologie” (1571-1642). A quarto armorial plate without owner’s name, but signed Picart ft. The shield hangs from the neck of a lion. Motto: “Sub zodiaco vales.” This plate is reproduced by Poulet-Malassis.
Brinon. Norman family. A nameless armorial plate.
Pierre Sarragoz, of Besançon. Armorial plate, without owner’s name, signed P. Deloysi sc. The plate contains a number of coats-of-arms, statues, and a bust of the Emperor Rodolf II., to whom the Sarragoz family, originally from Spain, owed their nobility. Pierre Sarragoz died October 14, 1649, according to his epitaph in the church of St. Maurice at Besançon.
Of engravings by Pierre Deloysi, of Besançon (calledle vieux), few examples are known. He was a goldsmith, and engraved the coins issued in his native town.
De Regnouart. Armorial plate. Motto: “Age. Abstine. Sustine.”
Charreton. Armorial plate, name below shield.
Ex-libris of Roquelaire. Armorial plate, without owner’s name, signed L. Tiphaigne. The arms are surrounded by the collars of the orders of Saint Michael, and of the Holy Ghost.
Chassebras. Armorial plate, with the name on a ribbon.
Boussac, of Limousin. Armorial plate without owner’s name.
Antoine de Lamare, Seigneur de Chenevarin. An armorial plate with the inscription “Ex-libris Antonii de Lamare, D. de Cheneuarin.” This plate was found on the cover of a book having the signature Antoine de Lamare, and the date of its acquisition, 1629. A very interesting feature about it is that above the shield is printed (typographically) the blazon of the arms of Lamare, and of those of the families of Croisset and of Clercy, with whom he was connected.
Ex-libris des frères Sainte-Marthe. Armorial plate. Motto: “Patriæ fœlicia tempora nebunt.” Signed J. Picart sc.
Jean-Pierre de Montchal, Seigneur de la Grange. Armorial, without owner’s name. Motto: “Je lay gaignee.” The shield rests on mosaic work, on which the charges are repeated. In his “Traité des plus belles bibliothèques de l’Europe” (1680), Le Gallois mentions the library of De Montchal amongst those recently sold or dispersed.
Nicolas-Thomas de Saint André. A large plate without owner’s name. Motto: “Pietate fulcior.”
Scott, Marquis de la Mésangère, in Normandy. Armorial plate without the owner’s name.
Ex-libris de Garibal. Languedoc family. Name below shield.
Ex-libris de Berulle. Name below shield.
Bovet. Nameless. Armorial. Family of Dauphiné.
Bernard de Nogaret, duc d’Epernon. Large nameless armorial plate of handsome design. The shield surrounded by the collars of the orders of Saint Michael, and of the Holy Ghost. A very fine plate, probably the work of an Italian artist.
“Messire François de Varoquier. Chevallier de l’ordre du Roy son coneret maistre d’hostel ordreTresorier de France Gnaldes Finances et grand voier en la generalité de Paris.”
Motto: “Recta ubique sic et cor.”
Le Féron. Armorial plate without owner’s name. The principal charges are repeated on the mosaic pavement which supports the shield.
Le Puy du Fou. Two sizes, both without owner’s name. Armorial. Signed J. Picart. Poitou family.
Joannes Bardin, presbyter. Motto: “Hic ure, hic seca, modo parcas in æternum.” Two sizes, armorial.
Lesquen. An armorial plate without owner’s name. Motto: “VIN CEN TI.” Breton family.
Large nameless armorial. Signed Raigniauld, Riomi, 1644. See reduced reproduction.
Raigniauld, Riomi, 1644. The late Lord de Tabley, in his “Guide,” says: “This engraver signs and dates a fine, but coarsely executed, anonymous armorial plate. The shield is untinctured and quarterly; first, a star, on a chief, three trefoils slipped; second, a cross pattée; third, a wing; fourth, two bars, in base a wheel; over all an escutcheon charged with a fesse. Fine leaf-like, simple mantling to helmet. No crest. I have no further knowledge of the artist. Themore modern French form of this surname is Regnault. Riomi is an old-fashioned town in Auvergne, just north of Clermont.” It is now speltRiom.
ARMORIAL BOOK-PLATE BY RAIGNIAULD, DATED 1644.
This is the fourth dated plate (1574, 1611, 1613, 1644) before 1650, the next we meet with is that of André Felibien, dated 1650.
François de Malherbe (1555-1628). The poet had plates in two sizes, both armorial, and both probably engraved early in the seventeenth century, and with the tinctures incorrectly shown. Neither bears the owner’s name. Poulet-Malassis reproduces the larger plate.
Amy Lamy. A curious and exceptional plate, having the portrait of this unknown bibliophile, with the motto: “Usque ad aras,” and six lines of complimentary Latin verse.
A large nameless armorial book-plate (unknown), with the motto “In manus tuas Domine sortes mea,” signed J. de Courbes fecit, with several other plates which cannot be identified, complete the list of plates of this period mentioned by Poulet-Malassis. In most cases he gives details of the arms and crests which students who desire to be conversant with French heraldry may consult with advantage.
It will thus be seen that the proportion of book-plates which can be positively assigned to a date prior to 1650 is small. Omitting those which were produced in the provinces on the German frontier, or under the influence of foreign artists, it will be remarked that all the plates produced within the geographical limits of the France of that periodwere essentially heraldic in character, composed of emblazoned shields, with helmets, crests, mantling, and supporters, often surrounded by wreaths of laurel or palm branches, and frequently resting on handsome mosaic platforms, decorated with the principal charges of the shield. And so generally was the science of heraldry understood in those days, that on only about one-half of the plates was it deemed necessary to add the owner’s name to the shield displaying his arms.
In the reigns of Henri IV. and Louis XIII. book-plates were probably very uncommon, and the large size in which they were produced, for the massive folios then in vogue, has militated much against their preservation. They are, of all book-plates, the most eagerly sought for by collectors; they are rare, they have great artistic merit, and the heraldry is of the grandest and purest style ever known in France. Pierre d’Hozier compiled a list (which has never yet been published) of the names, titles, and arms of one hundred and twenty-five persons, who, living in 1631, were known as collectors and lovers of works on heraldry, history, and genealogy. This list was accompanied by drawings of the armorial bearings of each of the one hundred and twenty-five collectors (engraved by Magneney and J. Picart), the cream of the book-lovers of the day,la fine fleur des bibliophiles, all possessors of libraries, and it may also reasonably be supposed, all possessed of ex-libris.
Yet of all these Poulet-Malassis asserts that he has found but five whose plates are known atpresent, namely, those of Le Puy du Fou, Montchal, Auzoles de la Peyre, Jean Bigot, and the brothers Sainte-Marthe. Of the remaining one hundred and twenty no book-plates are known; that some amongst their number must have had them is reasonably certain. But where shall we find them, or shall we ever find them?
Mais où sont les neiges d’antan?
NAMELESS ARMORIAL PLATE.
THE plates ofAndré Felibien, escuier, sieur des Avaux, seigneur de Iavercy, Historiographe du Roy, are notable as being dated 1650 and as marking the commencement of a transition period. The heraldic style begins to show variations; the mantling becomes less sumptuous and decorative, and the helmets are displaced by coronets, often usurped by those who have no right to them, either by birth, title, or estates. The shields change from the old square French shape to oval, surrounded by a framework, or a decorative cartouche. The fashion of resting the shield and supporters on a mosaic pavement, having a geometrical heraldic design, disappears, to be replaced by a small piece of landscape with grass and flowers, or the shield and supporters stand firmly on a square solid base resembling a flight of steps, or an architectural plinth.
Of this transition period the most interestingplates are those recording, in the one case a gift, in the other a legacy, of valuable books to the College of Jesuits, in Paris, in 1692.
BOOK-PLATE OF PIERRE DANIEL HUET.
These books had been collected by two of the most famous bibliophiles of the century, Pierre Daniel Huet, Evêque d’Avranches, and Gilles Ménage, Doyen de St. Pierre d’Angers. Bishop Huet chose to present his books during his lifetime(he survived the parting, and lived until 1721), and the gift was of great value, consisting as it did, of 8,312 volumes, besides many rare manuscripts.
BOOK-PLATE OF ANDRÉ FELIBIEN, 1650.
The Jesuit fathers recorded their gratitude on ex-libris (in four sizes) of an appropriately rich character, carrying the arms of Bishop Huet. They went to less expense in showing their appreciation of the legacy of Ménage, perhaps because he was dead (he died July 23rd, 1692), or perhaps because he only left them about 2,000 volumes. NeitherBishop Huet nor Dean Ménage appears to have used an ex-libris, but the bindings of their books carried their arms stamped in gold on the covers. An account of the libraries of these famous collectors is given in “L’Armorial du Bibliophile.”
Between 1650 and 1700 the number of book-plates is not large, nor are they of any exceptional interest, beyond showing the gradual alteration in style. It will suffice to name a few of the finest examples.
Nicolas Martigny de Marsal, by Sebastien Le Clerc. Four sizes, two dated respectively 1655 and 1660.
Guillaume Tronson. Signed A. B. Flamen.
Hadriani de Valois, dom. de la Mare.
Jerôme Bignon, grand maitre de la Bibliothèque du Roi. A fine armorial plate, probably engraved by François Chauveau.
Leonor Le François Sr. de Rigawille. Motto: “Meliora sequentr,” dated 1673.
Charles Maurice Le Tellier, archevêque de Reims. Signed J. Blocquet, 1672.
Louis François du Bouchet, Marquis de Souches. Signed “Mavelot, graveur de Mademoiselle.”
Mgr. Pellot, Premier President du Parlmtde Normandie. Signed J. T., probably Jean Toustain, an engraver of Normandy.
This President Pellot possessed a valuable collection of Spanish and Italian books.
Guyet de la Sordière, a plate bearing the arms of several family alliances of la Sordière.
Charles, Marquis et Comte de Rostaing. Signed P. Nolin. This fine heraldic plate does not bearthe name of its owner, but as it is exactly reproduced in the Armorial of Segoing, with the inscription “Armes d’Alliances de Messire Charles marquis et comte de Rostaing, gravées par son très humble serviteur Pierre Nolin, 1650,” we are enabled at once to identify the plate, and to fix its date.
BOOK-PLATE OF MONSIEUR DE LORME.
Simon Chauuel, chevalier, Seigneur de la Pigeonnière, Conseiller du Roy, etc. Signed P. Nolin.
This book-plate is also reproduced in theArmorial of Segoing, which indeed contains about sixty copies of ex-libris copied by Nolin, either from his own works, or from other plates belonging to his customers, or engravings by his brother artists.
Denis Godefroy. Died in 1681. Ex-libris in two sizes, both armorial.
Potier de Novion. A nameless ex-libris, identified by the arms, and signed by Trudon. The only known book-plate signed by this artist, who yet engraved all the plates to illustrate his work entitled “Nouveau traité de la science pratique du blason,” published in 1689.
Jules-Hardouin Mansart, superintendent of buildings under Louis XIV. Signed Montulay Lenée. Heraldic plate, no name.
Jean-Nicolas de Tralage, a nephew of La Reynie, commandant of police. De Tralage presented his valuable collections to the Abbey of Saint Victor in 1698.
In many cases these plates have been identified only by the arms they carry. Ex-libris had not yet become truly fashionable amongst bibliophiles of the first rank, arms and devices being still generally stamped on the covers of their books, and the names of the owners were seldom considered necessary in a society where every person of any position was compelled to understand heraldry, and to be acquainted with the armorial bearings of the principal families.
The men of letters of the seventeenth century were not apparently inclined to adopt ex-libris, comparatively few have been found; those ofMalherbe (who was, however, a nobleman and a courtier as well as an author), the historiographer, André Félibien; Jerôme Bignon, who was chief librarian in the Royal Library; Denis Godefroy, the historian, have been named, and the collectors, Ménage and Bishop Huet; yet these latter scarcely count, for the plates bearing their names and arms were only engraved to place in the books they had generously presented to the Jesuit fathers.
We seek in vain for the ex-libris of Corneille, Molière, or Racine, Boileau, La Fontaine, La Bruyère, for hitherto none have been discovered. In 1684 Madame de Sévigné wrote: “J’approuve fort de ne mettre autour de mon chiffre queMadame de Sévigné. Il n’en faut pas davantage: on ne me confondra point pendant ma vie et c’est assez.”
THE rapid multiplication of books and libraries during this period naturally led to a corresponding increase in the use of ex-libris. About the same time a new style of ex-libris comes in, more fanciful and artistic than of yore, but it must be confessed of a less practical character. These remain, for the greater part, heraldic in design, in fact, more pretentiously heraldic than ever. For, with the progress of education and the advance of philosophical speculation in France, people began to realize the absurdity of purchasing heraldic bearings, and, seeing what a sham the whole thing had become, finished by assuming arms and coronets to keep in the fashion. “Le blason,” wrote the Sieur de Chevigni in 1723, “est devenu un jardin public où chacun s’accommode à sa fantaisie pour les armoiries comme pour les couronnes.”
Helmet, wreath, and mantling disappear, whilst the shield and coronet no longer face one boldlyand squarely, but appear in fantastic perspective; the supporters assume attitudes never before contemplated in heraldry—under or over the shield, or playing at hide and seek behind the shield. Cupids, angels, cherubim, and mythological deities lend their aid, and a background of clouds, with or without rainbows, completes the curious fashion in vogue about 1750, which lasted, with some modifications, down to the time of the Revolution.
BOOK-PLATE OF N. R. FRIZON DE BLAMONT, 1704.
As time creeps slowly forward dated platesbecome more fashionable, and the owners’ names are more generally inserted. Indeed, French vanity begins to assert itself in lengthy inscriptions setting forth the high-sounding titles, distinctions, and offices held by the owners of these elaborate armorial book-plates.
BOOK-PLATE OF CLARET DELATOURRETTE, 1719.
The plate of the Abbé de Gricourt shows us that he considered the terrestrial globe unworthy to bear his coat-of-arms, which is therefore beingcarried away to its home in paradise by a swarm of little angels singing psalms in his praise, and weaving garlands of flowers to crown his achievement. This ambitious plate is signed by A. T. Cys (Adrien Théry, à Cisoing), who was a brother of the Abbé de Gricourt.
BOOK-PLATE OF MICHEL, COMTE DE FAULTRIERES, 1730.
The plates of this later period are, for the most part, affected, pompous, and even ridiculous in their assumptions. Shields in impossible attitudes,either resting on nothing, or falling over the supporters. These, in their turn, no longer perform their ancient duties seriously, but lounge about, lie asleep at their posts, or yawn withennuiat having to take a part in such a farce as heraldry in France had now become. As for the few plates of this period which preserve the ancient regularity of form and correct heraldic drawing, these usually belong to the families most entitled to bear arms, yet they look archaic and formal beside their more ornate brethren.
BOOK-PLATE OF FRAN. MOUCHARD, ECUYER, 1732.
The plates which have been reproduced to illustrate this period, 1700 to 1789, have been selected principally to show the varying styles in fashion in each decade, until we reach a date when French society is rudely convulsed by political events.
BOOK-PLATE OF F. G. LECUYER.
Three scarce plates are those of Louis XV., of Madame Victoire de France, and of the Bastille. That of Louis XV. is a fine plate for folio size, designed by A. Dieu and engraved by L. Audran. It has a monogram of double L on a shield, which is surrounded by trophies, and surmounted by the royal crown.
The plates for Madame Victoire de France(daughter of Louis XV.) and for the Château de la Bastille bear the French royal arms—azure, three fleurs-de-lys or.
BOOK-PLATE OF R. JEHANNOT DE BEAUMONT, 1742.
Apart from heraldry, we have now reached the period when purely artistic and decorative ex-libris commence to show themselves, and when artists such as Ferrand, Beaumont, F. Montulay, L. Monnier, Nicole and Collin, both of Nancy, J. Traiteur, de la Gardette, Berthault, L. Choffard, Le Roy, Cochin, Gravelot, Marillier, Moreau le jeune, Pierre St.-Aubin, and Gaucher, put some of their best work into these little copper plates.
Even Boucher condescended to engrave a few plates, of which, however, but three are known, and one only is signed.
BOOK-PLATE OF DELALEU, 1754.
With the multiplication of books in the eighteenth century came a proportionate decrease in their intrinsic value. With the exception of an occasionalédition de luxe, or of books scarce only because they ought never to have existed at all, lovers ofartistic bookbinding found their hobby almost useless.
BOOK-PLATE OF P. A. CONVERS, 1762.
Why spend pounds to bind a book which cost but a few shillings? Why put costly clothing on a child having 999 brothers, all so exactly similar that the father and mother, author and printer, could not discriminate between them? As the book was bought so it generally remained, or, as an especial honour, it might perhaps be put into half calf.
Exitwhole morocco, with arms elaborately emblazoned on the sides, and monograms in dainty tooling on the back.
Entermodern book-plate.
BOOK-PLATE OF THE CHEVALIER DE BELLEHACHE, 1771.
Under the Bourbon Kings the government of France was an absolute monarchy tempered by epigrams, and regulated chiefly by priests, soldiers, and the ladies of the Court. The system was vicious and corrupt, but very simple, and eminently satisfactory to the privileged classes. It ruined France, but, whilst it lasted, the kings and theirmistresses, the nobility, and the clergy, enjoyed most of the pleasures, and all the vices, this life could afford.
Of the military men who acquired power few appear to have indulged in literary tastes, or to have formed libraries. Many handsome ex-libris exist, carrying warlike trophies,—cannons, drums, tents, and flags,—such, for instance, as that of Claude Martin, but few indeed of these plates bear the names of any of the more famous French commanders. Even the plate of Murat (of later date) is doubtful, for what time hadle beau sabreurfor books?
BOOK-PLATE OF J. G. R. BOSCHERON, 1777.
BOOK-PLATE OF A. F. A. BOULA DE NANTEUIL, 1777.
Of the famous Court beauties who held influence over the kings, some possessed, and others affected, a taste for books, and volumes from their collections are eagerly sought for, partly for their associations, and partly on account of the elegance of their bindings. To name three or four of the most beautiful and most famous of these fair bibliophiles will suffice. First comes Diane de Poitiers, whose monogram, interlaced with that of her royal lover, Henri II., is to be found (along with the crescent of the chaste goddess Diana) on many books exquisitely bound by Le Faucheux.
BOOK-PLATE OF JEAN FRANÇOIS-GILLET, 1778.
The Marquise de Maintenon, widow of the deformed jester Scarron, who became the wife, if not the queen, of Louis XIV., was a woman of great tact and intelligence. She formed a valuable library; her books were handsomely bound, and stamped with her arms,—a lion rampant between two palm leaves.
The Marquise de Pompadour, whose books (principally dedicated to themenus plaisirs du Roi, like their owner) were bound by Biziaux, Derome,or Padeloup, and decorated with her arms,—azure, three towers argent. Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson was born the daughter of a butcher in 1722, but was created the Marquise de Pompadour, and, what is more singular, a “dame du palaisde la Reine” by Louis XV. But she was beautiful exceedingly, and clever, and even Voltaire himself could not resist flattering her:
“Pompadour, ton crayon divinDevait dessiner ton visage,Jamais une plus belle mainN’eût fait un plus bel ouvrage.”
“Pompadour, ton crayon divinDevait dessiner ton visage,Jamais une plus belle mainN’eût fait un plus bel ouvrage.”
Was it her death from small-pox that suggested to Zola that awful closing chapter in “Nana”?
A book-plate was engraved for her, anonymous, but having the above-named arms; it does not appear, however, to have been fixed in her books. La Pompadour died in 1764, and her books were sold in Paris in the following year.
“But where is the Pompadour now?Thiswas the Pompadour’s fan!”
“But where is the Pompadour now?Thiswas the Pompadour’s fan!”
Next comes the plate of Madame Jeanne-Gomart de Vaubernier, Comtesse Du Barry (born at Vaucouleurs in 1743), the last favourite of Louis XV., who, less fortunate than her rival, la Pompadour, survived her royal protector, nay, even royalty itself, and died on the scaffold in December, 1793. Ignorant as she was, she formed a small but valuable collection, her books being bound in red morocco, all richly gilt, and ornamented on the sides with her arms, and her motto,Boutez en avant. Redan was one of her binders.Louis XV. remarked, “La Pompadour had more books than the countess, but they were neither so well chosen nor so well bound, we therefore create herBibliothécaire de Versailles.”
BOOK-PLATE OF DUCHÉ, 1779.
Poor Du Barry! She could scarcely read, and could not spell; her books were selected to dispel theennuiand divert the mind of the debauched old king in the last few years of his shameful life. Yet is she worthy of mention here, if for one thing only, she possessed a book-plate engraved by Le Grand, of which, however, she made but little use.
But Louis le Bien-aimé died of small-pox in 1774, and henceforward the Du Barry fades from sight for nearly twenty years, until we see her once again, on the way to the guillotine, where, unlike most of the aristocrats who preceded her, she lost courage, and vainly shrieked for mercy from those who knew not what it was.
BOOK-PLATE OF THE COMTESSE DU BARRY.
“Unclean, yet unmalignant, not unpitiable thing! What a course was thine: from that first truckle-bed where thy mother bore thee, with tears, to an unnamed father: forward, through lowest subterranean depths, and over highest sunlit heights, of Harlotdom and Rascaldom—to the guillotine-axe, which shears away thy vainly whimpering head!” Thus does Carlyle epitomize her career.
Louis XV. was known asle Bien-aimé, but years before his death his name had lost all the influence it had ever possessed, and
“Le Bien-aimé de l’Almanac,N’est pas le Bien-aimé de France,Il fait toutab hoc, etab hac,Le Bien-aimé de l’Almanac.Il met tout dans le même sac,Et la Justice et la Finance:Le Bien-aimé de l’Almanac,N’est pas le Bien-aimé de France.”
“Le Bien-aimé de l’Almanac,N’est pas le Bien-aimé de France,Il fait toutab hoc, etab hac,Le Bien-aimé de l’Almanac.Il met tout dans le même sac,Et la Justice et la Finance:Le Bien-aimé de l’Almanac,N’est pas le Bien-aimé de France.”
It was computed that during his reign 150,000 men had been imprisoned in the Bastille, whose crimes, real or imaginary, had never been investigated in any court of justice.
They were torn without warning from liberty and friends to languish for years in dark loathsome dungeons, without even knowing of what offences they were accused, nor for what period they would be imprisoned.
A simpleLettre de Cachetwas all that was required, which it was by no means difficult for a king’s mistress, minister, or favourite to obtain.
Lettre de Cachet.Monsieur le Gouverneur, envoyant en mon château de la Bastille le sieurN——, je vous fais cette lettre pour vous dire que mon intention est que vous ayez à l’y recevoir et retenir en toute seûreté, jusques à nouvel ordre de moy. Et la présente n’estant pour autre fin, je prie Dieu qu’il vous ait, Monsieur le Gouverneur, en sa sainte garde.Ecrit à —— le —— de l’an ——.Signature du Roi.
Lettre de Cachet.
Monsieur le Gouverneur, envoyant en mon château de la Bastille le sieurN——, je vous fais cette lettre pour vous dire que mon intention est que vous ayez à l’y recevoir et retenir en toute seûreté, jusques à nouvel ordre de moy. Et la présente n’estant pour autre fin, je prie Dieu qu’il vous ait, Monsieur le Gouverneur, en sa sainte garde.
Ecrit à —— le —— de l’an ——.
Signature du Roi.
Once issued, this condemned a man to perpetual imprisonment, unless by some happy chance some one could prevail on the king to sign the followingOrdre de mise en Liberté:“Monsieur le Gouverneur, ayant bien voulu accorder la liberté au sieurN——détenu par mes ordres en mon château de la Bastille, je vous fais cette lettre pour vous dire que mon intention est qu’aussitôt qu’elle vous aura été remise, vous aiez à faire mettre le dit sieurN——en pleine et entière liberté. Et la présente n’estant pour autre fin, je prie Dieu qu’il vous ait, Monsieur le Gouverneur, en sa sainte garde.Ecrit à —— le —— de l’an ——.Signature du Roi.
Once issued, this condemned a man to perpetual imprisonment, unless by some happy chance some one could prevail on the king to sign the followingOrdre de mise en Liberté:“Monsieur le Gouverneur, ayant bien voulu accorder la liberté au sieurN——détenu par mes ordres en mon château de la Bastille, je vous fais cette lettre pour vous dire que mon intention est qu’aussitôt qu’elle vous aura été remise, vous aiez à faire mettre le dit sieurN——en pleine et entière liberté. Et la présente n’estant pour autre fin, je prie Dieu qu’il vous ait, Monsieur le Gouverneur, en sa sainte garde.
Ecrit à —— le —— de l’an ——.
Signature du Roi.
Many prisoners became lunatics, others died there whose friends never knew their fate, for a man’s name and individuality were lost when once he passed the gates.
Those who regained their liberty were sworn to secrecy concerning all that they had seen or heard in the Bastille: “Etant en liberté, je promets, conformément aux ordres du Roi, de ne parler à qui que ce soit, d’aucune manière que ce puisse être, des prisonniers ni autre chose concernant le château de la Bastille, qui auraient pu parvenir à ma connaissance.”
As a rule this oath was observed, the dread of another incarceration being sufficient to inculcate the wisdom of silence, the well-known memoirs of Linguet being an exception.
Under Louis XVI., committals were less numerous,and when the Marquis de Launay surrendered the Bastille to the Parisian revolutionaries in July, 1789, only seven prisoners were found in it, although it must be remembered that the governor, recognizing the possibility of an attack, had sent away some of the most important prisoners to Vincennes. If he had had the forethought at the same time to have caused the Bastille to be well supplied with provisions he, with his small garrison of 114 men, might have held out for an almost indefinite period against the attacks of the half-armed, undisciplined Parisian mob.