26159 — Paris, Jorry, Lambert et Duchesne, 1758. Text printed within woodcut border. [ii] (series title dated 1763), xxii, [ii], 244, 88; 48 (the pagination of the six supplements is continuous) pp. 8vo in 4s. Finely bound in late nineteenth century crushed blue morocco, spine in compartments, gilt-lettering directly to spine, tooled with theatrical mask to spine and to all four corners of upper and lower board, upper edge gilt, gilt dentelles, partly uncut, a fine copy. Grand-Carteret (Almanachs Français) 192; Dufour, Bibliographie de Paris, p. 395; Soleinne, IV, 283; OCLC locates a number of copies of the main work, but only Dutch Royal Library, Lyon and Bibliotheque Nationale for the full complement of supplements. First edition, very rare with all six supplements present, of this detailed account of French theatre up to the middle of the eighteenth century. The supplements, which were published separately over the course of six years, are very rarely present. Here they are collected with a general title page, dated 1763, published 'at the expense of the author', and bound in a fine 'theatrical' binding. The Tablettes dramatiques are a most valuable source for the history of French theatre, covering first the history of the theatre, the history of the foundation of specific theatres, an inventory of plays performed or printed for the period 1552 to 1752, with critical commentary, and finally a biographical dictionary of authors and actors. The supplements generally follow the same format and give information on new plays, a performance calendar for the period in question, details of ballets, and biographical information on new emerging actors. A fascinating overview of French or more specifically Parisian theatre history, documenting the transition from medieval theatre to the highly organised and politicised drama up the middle of the eighteenth century.The chevalier de Mouhy (1701-84), was a playwright and prolific author on the theatre, he also published an Histoire du theatre français depuis son origine jusqu'en 1780.
