[CONTANT D'ORVILLE (André-Guillaume). Précis d'une histoire générale de la vie privée des François dans tous les temps et dans toutes les provinces de la monarchie. Paris, Moutard, 1779. In-8, bradel dark green boards, smooth spine decorated with gilt fillets and cold fleurons, untrimmed (Binding of the period). First edition, published under the direction of the Marquis de Paulmy. The work, part of the Mélanges tirés d'une grande bibliothèque series, consists of four books dealing respectively with the food, housing, clothing and entertainment of the French. The story of the competing publication of this Précis and, three years later, of Legrand d'Aussy's Histoire de la vie privée des Français, both drawn from documents collected by Legrand d'Aussy in Paulmy's library, is recounted by Alberto Capatti and Sabine Coron in the introduction to the Livres en bouche catalogue (Arsenal, 2001, pp. 15-23). A copy for Edmond de Goncourt, with this autograph note signed in pink ink on a flyleaf: "A fine, great, original idea for a book, and terribly ahead of its time, this précis, published in 1779 by Legrand d'Aussy" (this last point is inaccurate). From the libraries of the Comte de Salaberry and Raymond Oliver, with their bookplates. The volume also bears the bookplate of René de Voyer de Paulmy marquis d'Argenson (1796-1862), which may have been added subsequently. Minor marks of use to the boards, rare spotting, wetness in the margins of pp. 385-398.