L’Ami des femmes. by BOUDIER DE VILLEMERT, Pierre Joseph (b.…

BOUDIER DE VILLEMERT, Pierre Joseph (b. 1716?).

L’Ami des femmes. Paris, 1759.

12mo, pp. 182, [1], in contemporary English speckled calf, ruled border to covers, spine ruled in gilt with red morocco label lettered in gilt.

An attractive copy of this Rousseau inspired handbook for young women. First published in 1758 and a best-seller in France, Boudier de Villemert’s text discusses women's rank in society and suggests possible reforms to this. Neatly arranged in chapters by subject, it discusses the education of girls and their suitable occupations; it talks of luxury and dress, love, gallantry and marriage, condemning idleness and cosmetics and advocating maternal breast-feeding. It was published in English as The Ladies Friend, but not until 1766, which explains the English binding on this considerably earlier French edition.
‘Ce n’est ici ni une parodie, ni une imitation de l’Ami des Hommes. Cet Ouvrage a un caractère particulier, qui pourroit bien ne faire que de mauvais Copistes; mais il m’a fourni l’idée d’adresser aux Femmes quelques avis, & de discuter avec elles leurs propres intérêts. Il convenoit de prendre un ton moins haut, & d’aller, pour ainsi dire, terre à terre avec nos belles Philosophes... Je souhaite que ces idées de réforme ne leur déplaisent pas’ (Avertissement).

See Cioranescu 13039-13043.

Keywords: Continental Books
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