[GRIMOD DE LA REYNIÈRE (Alexandre-Balthazar). Manuel des amphitryons, contenant un traité de la dissection des viandes à table, la nomenclature des menus les plus nouveaux pour chaque saison et des éléments de politesse gourmande. Paris, Capelle & Renand, 1808. In-8, half bronze basane with corners, smooth spine decorated, smooth edges (Binding of the period). Sought-after first edition of the best work by Grimod de La Reynière, the creator of gourmet literature, in which he develops a "theory of good food" (p. 5). The illustrations include a frontispiece and 16 plates outside the text on the art of slicing meat and fish, drawn and engraved by Jean-François Tourcaty. "Indispensable to all those who are jealous of making good food and getting others to do the same", boasts the subtitle, the work is divided into three parts. The first is a treatise on how to slice meat; in fact, as we read on p. 25, "an amphitryon who knows neither how to slice nor serve can be compared to the owner of a fine library who cannot read". The second part deals with menus for each season and according to the number of diners. Finally, the last part contains the Eléments de politesse gourmande (Elements of Gourmet Politeness), a veritable code of civility discreetly addressed to the newly rich after the Revolution. There are chapters on invitations, receptions, table and wine service, table talk, the respective duties of guests and hostesses, and so on. The second table is missing, as is very often the case in copies bound at the time (Table alphabétique et raisonnée, pp. 357-384). Minor rubbing to binding; scattered spotting; small break in margin of false title. Vicaire, 427 - Simon, 805 - Bitting, 203 - Cagle, n°233 - Oberlé, n°135 - En français dans le texte, n°217.