Cuisin Les Nymphs Du Palais Royal 1815 Old Book Prostitution Grisettes

CUISIN (J.-P.-R.) The Nymphs of the Palais-Royal; their manners, their expressions of slang, their rise, retreat and decadence. Paris, chez Roux libraire au Palais-Royal, 1815. In-12 (82x133 mm), period dominoted paper, xxviij, 104 p., engraved folding plate. First edition illustrated with a folding plate etched by Fortier (137 x 185 mm) representing the wooden galleries of the Palais Royal and the famous "113", the most famous gambling house. In the foreground, three young "fashionables" are approached by "nymphs", with the legend: "Do you want to go up, my handsome man? I am very kind, very complacent". The editor, in a witty introduction, denounces the hypocrisy of the author of the text who stigmatizes the nymphs and their morals. On the contrary, it glorifies the "ladies of the Palace", their beauty, their seduction, the gaiety, the color, the fantasy and the happiness that they lavish generously, as well as the variety of pleasures that they offer to everyone's tastes. He jokes about "the time of the Clélies and the Amadis", "where one dared to kiss the hand of his lady only in the eleventh volume" and more widely praises voluptuousness and the pleasure of the senses. The work is cited as a source for Parisian slang of the period. (Drujon, 'Livres condemned', p. 283. Gay, III. 434 "Licentious writing blacklisted by police measure". Pia, 'Livres de l'Enfer', II, 922). Good copy, fresh, printed on strong paper. Shipping to France 10 euros