DURET (Claude). Thresor de l'histoire des langues de cest univers. Yverdon, Société Helvétiale Caldoresque [Pyrame de Candolle], 1619. Small in-4, olive turned leather, gilt fillet, threaded spine, speckled edges (Binding of the period). A curious and unusual work devoted largely to the Kabbalah. Only one edition exists, published by Pyrame de Candolle in Cologny in 1613 and reissued by him six years later under a relay title bearing a reference to the Second Edition. This volume of over a thousand pages is illustrated with a large double-page table and numerous alphabets and magic characters in the text. Claude Duret (c. 1570-1611) was President of the Presidial Court of Moulins and a close friend of Olivier de Serres. But he was above all a naturalist and linguist whose erudition was matched only by his naivety. Christian Kabbalah and angelology play a large part in his work, but terrestrial linguistics are not left out, since he mentions the languages of the Americas ("all after page 947 relates to America", according to Sabin) as well as Japanese and Chinese; even animal sounds are studied in the last chapter. Handwritten bookplate: Ex bibliotheca Michaelis Noelas on a white endpaper. From the library of Prosper Brugière de Barante (1782-1866), with his signature at the bottom of p. 1 and his bookplate. Prefect of Vendée under the Empire and later French ambassador, Prosper Brugière (1782-1866), baron de Barante, was a leading historian, notably author of a 13-volume Histoire des ducs de Bourgogne de la maison de Valois (1824-1826). Freckling, spotting and discreet marginal wormholes, binding rubbed with faded spine, later title-piece. Brunet, II, 916 - Caillet, n°3444 - Dorbon, n°1416 - Quirielle, 80.