BARBEY d'AUREVILLY (Jules). L'Ensorcelée. Paris, Alexandre C - Lot 495

BARBEY d'AUREVILLY (Jules). L'Ensorcelée. Paris, Alexandre Cadot, 1855. 2 vol. in-8, half red long-grained morocco with corners, smooth spine decorated with romantic motifs in black and gold, gilt title and author, date on tail, gilt head, yellow covers preserved. Rare and sought-after first edition of one of Barbey's masterpieces, dedicated to the Marquis de Custine. L'Ensorcelée had appeared as a pre-original in L'Assemblée nationale (serialized from January 7 to February 11, 1852) under the title La Messe de l'abbé de la Croix-Jugan. The second volume continues, after page 217, with the Ricochets de conversation or "Les Dessous de cartes d'une partie de Whist", which will be found in Les Diaboliques, in 1874. "I have just reread this book, which seemed to me even more of a masterpiece than the first time" (Baudelaire, letter to Poulet-Malassis, November 13, 1858). Complete with the two faux-titres and the erratum leaflet to Volume I. Joints very brittle, otherwise a superb copy with no foxing. Carteret, I, p. 105-106 ("Ouvrage très important, d'une grande rareté"). Clouzot, p. 37.