BALZAC Bernard-François. Mémoires sur plusieurs grands objets d'utilité publique. Tours, Mame, 1809; 3 pamphlets in one vol. large in-8 with continuous pagination of [4]-93 pp. contemporary binding in shagreened basane, gilt fillets framing the boards, smooth spine decorated, spotted edges. Collection in one volume of three rare essays published by Balzac père between 1807 and 1809 on French social life, brought together under a general printed title: - Mémoire sur deux grandes obligations à remplir par les Français. - Mémoire sur le scandaleux désordre causé par les jeunes filles trompées et abandonnées dans un absolu destitument; Et sur les moyens d'utiliser une portion de population perdue pour l'État et très-funeste à l'ordre social. - Memorandum on the means of preventing theft and murder, and of bringing back the men who commit them to the work of Society, and on the means of simplifying the Judicial Order. "These extremely rare pamphlets reveal in B.-F. Balzac a curious mind, a disciple of the Encyclopaedists, a friend of the Enlightenment and of progress, a lover of freedom but a supporter of order, something of an ideologue, but also a practical and concrete man of action" (Catalogue of the Balzac exhibition, Bibliothèque nationale, 1950, no. 16). The copy contains two preliminary leaves: a general title followed by an analytical table of contents of the three memoirs. These pamphlets were printed in small numbers on fine, strong wove paper, no doubt to be distributed among Balzac père's administrative entourage and to make himself known to the authorities. Bernard-François Balzac's autograph signature at the end of the first memoir. The volume was in the library of Jules Claretie with engraved bookplate and handwritten note; in that of Olivier de Gourcuff (bookplate) and Ronnie Binehof (bookplate) - Nice copy, gilt on spine oxidized. The Claretie catalogue, part 1, contains another collection by Balzac père bound in the same manner, with other titles.