Le Passe-Tems Agréable, by ROCHEFORT, J., attributed.

ROCHEFORT, J., attributed.

Le Passe-Tems Agréable, ou Nouveaux Choix de Bons Mots, de Pensées Ingénieuses, de Rencontres Plaisantes, dont une partie n’avoit point encore été mise au jour, Enrichi d’une Elite des plus Vives Gasconnades, Qui ne sont point dans le Gasconniana, Et de quelques Nouvelles Histoires Galantes, Le tout avec des Réflexions. Nouvelle Edition, augmentée de plus de double. Première Partie [-Seconde]. 1758.

New Edition, ‘double the size of the last’. Two volumes, 12mo, pp. [xiv], 228; [ii], 216, in contemporary mottled calf, flat spines gilt in compartments with floral vignette, red and olive green morocco labels lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers, all edges red, green silk markers.

A very attractive copy of a popular jestbook, first published in 1700. This new edition is advertised as being ‘augmentée de plus de double’, including a new previously unpublished part, new ‘vives gasconnades’ and several new ‘histoires galantes’, all accompanied by refexions. Apart from the mass of popular jokes, tales and so forth, gathered from street-parlance and everyday life and with no known origin, the authors and historical figures who unwittingly contributed their witty sayings to the present compilation include Thomas More, Bacon, Dante, Furetiere, Machiavelli, Rabelais, ‘le capitaine Miller’, ‘George’ and Socrates.
This work is also attributed to Cartier de Saint Philip, author of Le Je ne Sais Quoi, ou mélanges curieux, 1724, though it is not listed in his works by Cioranescu.

OCLC lists Louisiana State University.

Keywords: Continental Books
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