A LAMENT FOR THE HOUSE OF BOURBON—UNIQUE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT FROM SHORTLY AFTER THE FRENCH REVOLUTION, WITH DELIGHTFUL INK AND PENCIL DRAWINGS, BEAUTIFULLY BOUND

(LOUIS XVI) (MARIE ANTOINETTE) [ANONYMOUS]. Le Veglie del Filosofo Cristiano su le Tombe di Grandi. Italy: no publisher, late 18th century. Quarto, contemporary full straight-grain tan calf, covers with ornate gilt border and central French Royal coat of arms of Louis XVIII, elaborately gilt-decorated spine with green morocco spine labels, green silk endpapers, all edges gilt; ff. [113] (complete). Housed in a custom full calf-gilt clamshell box.

Exquisite and extremely rare manuscript in excellent condition, including several delicate pen and pencil drawings, comprising a series of four separate meditations on the deaths of King Louis XVI, his wife Marie Antoinette, his sister Elisabeth, and his young son, the “lost dauphin,” Louis XVII. In a splendid contemproary calf-gilt binding, decorated with the royal arms of France.

Penned in a language of religious meditations abundant with biblical references and delivered in a flowery diction, this dramatic prose poem is a scathing attack on the French Revolution and its aftermath while praising the Monarchy and Catholicism. Often recounted in the style of an eyewitness account, the text opens with a series of general comments on the French Revolution seen by the author as the ultimate evil force not only responsible for the slaughter of the Royal Family murdered by “cannibals,” but also for allowing people to live “without the control of the holy laws.” Each veglie has the structure of a meditation in which the author claims to have located the graves of the grandi, i.e., the French Royal family, and in the case of Marie Antoinette a book is even supposed to be found in the unmarked grave. Each text could be used for personal meditation, or read as a sermon. Each section may have been intended for publication, as each is followed by endnotes referring to Biblical passages and other relevant sources.

Contents:

The manuscript opens with a delightful ink and pencil drawing portraying a meditating man dressed in an exotic fashion in the company of a dog against a backdrop of mountains. The verso of the title page offers a Latin quotation from the Book of Job, framed in ribbons: “Ad sepulcra ducetur, et in congerie mortuorum vigilabit” [he is borne to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb]. At the bottom of the leaf the imperial eagle is flanked by death with bow and arrows and a man symbolizing a philosopher from ancient times. The recto of the following leaf [2] is blank except for the coat of arms of the Bourbons of France. Ff. 2r-5r are blank except for ruled frames as they seem to have been originally intended for dedication.

First part:

Illustrated heading f. [6r]: Veglie Prima su la Tomba di Luigi XVI Re di Francia - First Meditation on the Grave of Louis XVI King of France. Subtitle: L’Instabilità delle Umane Grandezze - The Frailty of Human Greatness. The text, ff. [6v-29v], is followed by a series of notes, ff. [30r-32r], quoting biblical passages and with references to the pontificate of Pius VI (1717-1799). The text recounts in a harrowing and dramatic style the sufferings and imprisonment of Louis XVI who, having been found guilty of treason, was guillotined on January 21, 1793.

Second part:

Illustrated heading f. [33r]: Veglie Seconda su la Tomba di Marie Anonietta Regia di Francia - Second Meditation on the Grave of Marie Antoinette Queen of France. Subtitle: La Fortezza Cristiana - Christian Fortitude. The text, ff. [34r-55v], opens with a portrait of a lady in the company of three putti. Pen flourished initial. Four notes, ff. [56r-57r] close the text, which recounts the trial of Marie Antoinette, the youngest daughter of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Francis I and of Marie Theresa, whose only fault, according to the author, was of being a Catholic Queen.

Third part:

Illustrated heading f. [58r]: Veglie Terza su la Tomba di Elisabetta Madama di Francia - Third Meditation on the Grave of Elisabeth Madame of France. Subtitle: La Tribolazione Prova del Giusto - Tribulation: the Trial of the Just. A drawing in the form of a coin-medal portrays four men standing and one kneeling in the vicinity of a temple with Satan in the background and in the act of shooting an arrow at them. The section offers a drawing of a tomb with two dolphins and a pen-flourished initial. The text, ff. [59r-91v], which is devoted to the loyal sister of Louis XVI who remained in France during the Revolution and after a period of imprisonment was guillotined, comments at length on the wickedness of the populace while extolling the Catholic faith. Notes ff. [92r-94r].

Fourth part:

Illustrated heading f. [95r]: Veglie Quarta su la Tomba di Luigi XVII - Fourth Meditation on the Grave of Louis XVII. Subtitle: L’Innocenza Tradita - Betrayed Innocence. A tempest, a sea monster and three boats trying to master the perilous waters are drawing above the heading. The text, ff. [96r-113r], is devoted to Louis Charles, also known as the “lost dauphin,” the eldest living son of King Louis XVI, who upon his father’s death became de jure Louis XVII, although in actual terms he never reigned. Text in Italian, in a fine calligraphic hand characterized by long descenders coming below the line; some initials in margins with pen flourishes and arabesques supplied in brown.

Expert repair to spine label, neatly replacing four letters of title that had been chipped away, text block expertly and subtly reinforced.