VERLAINE (Paul). Fêtes galantes. Paris, Alphonse Lemerre, 1869. Small in-12, green half-percaline, initials P. V. gilt on tail, red head, untrimmed, later red morocco folder and slipcase (Period binding). A rare and sought-after first edition, published at author's expense in 350 copies on hollande and 10 on chine. Few works," write Van Bever and Monda, "were more successful than this slim collection, in which the poet evoked, in idyllic verse, the outdated graces of the 18th century", describing a world of dreams and fantasy under the sign of Watteau, discovered by Verlaine at the opening of the Lacaze gallery in the Louvre in the company of Edmond Lepelletier. Léon Vanier republished the work in 1886 and again in 1891. A copy on hollande with innumerable pen-and-ink corrections, including two changes made to the text (near modified in price p. 11, when in that p. 17), while the others mainly concern typography and spelling: all the long s (ſ), in particular, are changed to s and the ampersands (&) to et. On the verso of the false title, the title title "in preparation Les Vaincus" has been crossed out in the list of the author's works. A presumed copy by Verlaine, bound with the initials P.V., for which Daniel Morcrette had a luxurious full red morocco slipcase made, bearing the words Exemplaire de l'auteur. The volume bears the label of Léon Vanier on the first flyleaf, as well as this handwritten bookplate on the first flyleaf: Mme Thérèse Geiss [?] / rue Pigalle 62. Small brown stain in margin of last few leaves, marginal tears without damage to text on pp. 45-50. Van Bever & Monda, 10 - Montel, 13 - Galantaris, n°16 - Vicaire, VII, 990 - Carteret, II, 418.