The Heptameron, of the Tales of Margaret, Queen of Navarre, Margaret of Navarre, illustrated by S Freudenberg & Dunker, “translated into English from the Authentic Text of M. Le Roux De Lincy”, essay by George Saintsbury, M.A. (The Society of English Bibliophilists, London, 1894)
8.5″ X 5.25″, 5 volumes 262pp, 226pp, 216pp, 244p, 264pp, blue linen covered boards with gilt titles, red and gilt decorations on covers, edges deckled. Good condition, minor bumps and scuffs.
The Heptameron is a collection of 72 short stories written in French by Marguerite of Navarre (1492-1549), published posthumously in 1558. It has the form of a frame narrative and was inspired by The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio. It was originally intended to contain one hundred stories covering ten days just as The Decameron does, but at Marguerite’s death it was only completed as far as the second story of the eighth day. Many of the stories deal with love, lust, infidelity and other romantic and sexual matters. This 5 volume set is very nice edition containing “the Original Seventy-three Full Page Engravings Designed by S. FREUDENBERG And One Hundred and Fifty Head and Tail Pieces By DUNKER”
