[CHOUSY (Didier de). Ignis. Paris, Berger-Levrault & Cie, 1883. In-12, stiff vellum with covers, double gilt fillet, crowned numeral in the centre, smooth spine, green title page, gilt edges (Binding of the period). Extremely rare first edition of one of the little-known masterpieces of French science fiction. The only novel by the mysterious Count Didier de Chousy (whose name does not appear until the third edition), Ignis is a "marvellous satire of science, albeit in the wake of Jules Verne", writes Pierre Versins. This futuristic novel, full of technical and scientific knowledge, imagines the Central Fire Company sinking a geothermal well with the aim of domesticating the climate, and also evokes developments in robotics "in a way that is more than fifty years ahead of conjectural literature". The book was cited by Alfred Jarry in his article "De quelques romans scientifiques" published in La Plume in 1903. It was republished in 2008. A precious copy given by the author to Queen Elisabeth of Romania, in an attractive binding with her cipher. The volume opens with a one-page handwritten dedication signed by the Comte de Chousy, in which he expresses his admiration for the literary work of the queen, née Élisabeth de Wied, who published it under the pen name Carmen Sylva. Attached is a long and important autograph letter signed by the author to Villiers de l'Isle-Adam, dated 12 August 1886 in Boulogne-sur-Mer (6 pp. in-12), in which he talks about L'Ève future, which Villiers had sent him and for which he expresses great admiration, and the "literary consanguinity" that links his work to that of Villiers: "both of us... have tried to catch a glimpse in our dreams of the marvels that this century is preparing for the future...". Of Ignis, Stéphane Ischi writes: "The work is all the more intriguing because Count Didier de Chousy is an enigma. Apart from his novel, he seems to have left no trace of his time on earth other than two letters to Charles Cros and Villiers de L'Isle-Adam. Versins, 168 - Stéphane Ischi, "Une énigme littéraire : le comte Didier de Chousy", RHLF, 2015/2, pp. 347-368.