LESCLACHE (Louis de). Philosophy. Divided into five parts. - The Second Part of Philosophy, or General Science. Divided into four parts. Paris : Charles Chastellain, 1648-1650 - 2 volumes in-8, 178 x 115 : frontispiece, (7 ff.), 386 pp, (2 ff.), 1 plate, 5 tables ; frontispiece, (3 ff.), 371 pp. misquoted 373, 4 tables. Red morocco, boards decorated in the Du Seuil style, spine ribbed and gilt edges (period binding). Very rare first edition of these two works of philosophy composed by Louis de Lesclache (1620-1671), a philosopher of Auvergne origin who taught grammar and philosophy in Paris, Lyon and Grenoble. He was a supporter of women's education and tried to reform spelling. These two volumes constitute the first two parts of his work on philosophy. The first is devoted to logic, i.e. to the "rules for conducting the Three Actions of our Minds" and to the "Method which we must follow in all sciences, & in all kinds of Discourses", and the second to the general science which explains "the Principles of all things, their Causes, their Proprieties, & the Parts of the Being". These volumes are the first published by the author. They are complete as such. Lesclache will take them up in an in-4 edition published between 1651 and 1656 under the title La Philosophie expliquée en tables, with the three other parts devoted respectively to Physics, Morals, and Natural Theology. The first volume includes a beautiful frontispiece engraved by Jean Richer, 5 tables engraved outside the text on double page, namely the "Table des espèces de l'Universel", those of "l'ordre des catégories", "de la qualité", "de l'Action", "de la Relation" and "de l'Opposition des Propositions", and a plate showing the tree of Porphyry. The second volume includes a frontispiece also engraved by Jean Richer, as well as 4 tables engraved outside the text on double pages, giving the order of the parts of the general science. Very fine copies in red morocco bindings decorated in the Du Seuil style. Tears to the comb paper of the first lining of the second volume, following the removal of a bookplate. Old signature crossed out on the first white endpaper of each volume. Smudging on the top of the leaves of the first volume. Some foxing, especially in the second volume.