Mineral waters - Lot 110

Mineral waters DESCAUNETS (Pierre) Traité de la Propriété, Usage et Effets des Eaux Minérales, Bains Doux et Chauds de Bagnères et Barège ; Observations Raisonnées sur Chacune des Fontaines MinéralesVertus & Usages du Cocléaria et des Plantes Vulnéraires des Pyrénées ; Quatrième Edition ; On y a joint des Notes Opinion de J. Lebrun fils Toulouse, Broulniet, 1793. In-12 : s. fx.t., 192 pp. ; one folding table. Contemporary fawn shagreened basane, smooth ornate spine, lyre between caissons, gilt roulette on edges, yellowed edges. Provenance: Copy of Abbé Doazan. Enclosed: LEMMONIER (Hyppolite) : Guide du touriste et du baigneur aux eaux de Bagnères-de-Bigorre. Avec une carte routière des environs de Bagnères. Bagnères, Plassot, 1843. In-12: 108pp; one fold-out map in fine. Modern Bradel-style boards, long gilt title on lightened spine. The author's name is not on the title but in the "Preliminary Discourse". A 4th edition was published in Toulouse by Birosse in 1745 under the title: "Traité de la Propriété et Effets des Eaux, Bains doux et chauds, de Bagnères et de Barège. Ensemble des Bouillons de Cochlearia & d'Ecrevisses de Rivière, et des Vulnéraires avec les Observations raisonnées sur chaque Fontaine en particulier. 4th edition revised, corrected and enlarged... ". The 1st edition dates from 1729 (the approval is from November 1728). Carrère mentions no other edition between 1729 and 1745. The latter was entirely revised and enlarged by Jean Lebrun, Descaunets' grandson. The description of Bagnères is unfortunately a little sketchy: "One sees on one side of the mountains a charming hill bristling with a very long row of beautiful trees... which is used for hunting a kind of wild pigeon, known as ramier, Palumbes (sic). This hunt, for which a net is used, & which is carried out regularly every year since September 15, gives an honest income to the owners of Pantières...". Not listed in the B.N. catalog. (Carrère Catal. Eaux Minérales 449)(Dubourg Peligry 1323)