François SCALION DE VIRBLUNEAU. Les Loyalles et pudicques Amours... To Madame de Boufflers. In-12, marbled calf, cold roulette on the boards, smooth spine decorated (18th century binding). Brunet, V-180 // Cioranescu, 20544. (8 f.)-134 f. / front, A-L12-M10 / 72 x 138 mm. First and only published edition of this curious collection of 413 sonnets on the author's love affairs. Scalion de Virbluneau, sieur d'Ofayel, a poet of the late sixteenth century, is the very type of passionate lover. He preferred to dry on his feet respectfully before his "goddess" than to touch her with his fingertips (Larousse). His first sonnets were dedicated to a certain Angélique, who must have been insensitive to his charms, since he then turned to Adriane. He married her and had many children with her, but continued his work as a poet in a plaintive form, which he published under the title Prosperes et parfaites amours. Théophile Gautier, who painted a portrait of him in Les Grotesques, said of this work: "He still whines, from time to time, but it's out of habit. The volume is decorated with a frontispiece, an engraved title and 11 curious copper engravings, including 2 hors-texte and 2 fold-outs. Hinges rubbed and headpieces missing. Small marginal ink stain on one leaf.