BEAUCHAMPS (Pierre-François Godard de).Recherches sur les théâtres de France, Depuis l'année onze cens soixante-un, jusques à présent.Paris: Prault père, 1735. - 2 volumes in-4, 300 x 230 : (6 ff.), 166 pp., (1 f.), 160 pp. 1 table ; pp. 161-334, (1 f.), 321 pp. 1 table. Bradel style cardboard, smooth spine, untrimmed (19th century binding).Bibliothèque dramatique de Monsieur de Soleinne, vol. V, Paris, 1843-1844, p. 270. First edition, dedicated to the Duc de Villeroy, of this major work on the history of theatre in France, from its medieval origins to 1735. Beauchamps offers a unique synthesis, combining biographies, chronological analyses and repertories, which still make it a major reference. The author traces the evolution of theatrical forms - from mysteries and farces to ballets and comedies - and draws on a wealth of documentary material, without explicitly revealing the contributors. This edition includes two fold-out tables out of the text, and is decorated with copper engravings (title vignette, 10 headbands, 10 lettering and 6 endpapers). A precious and rare copy in in-4 format, fully interleaved and enriched with 18th century handwritten notes. Although some of the annotations may have been attributed to Beauchamps, their content suggests that they were written by an outsider, probably someone close to the author. These valuable additions supplement the original text with corrections, biographical additions and bibliographical references, including works published up to 1769 - a date later than Beauchamps' death (1761). From the libraries of Henri Tronchin (1794-1865), a federal artillery colonel and founder of the Société Évangélique de Genève, and the Swiss lawyer and art collector Pierre Sciclounoff (1926-1997). Cracked hinges. Provenance: Henri Tronchin, with bookplate and label of the Bessinge estate. - Pierre Sciclounoff, with bookplate.