MONTESQUIEU (Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de). The Temple of Gnide. New edition. Paris : Le Mire, 1772. - In-8, 236 x 150 : frontispiece, (2 ff.), vij, 104 pp., 9 plates. Dark blue morocco, triple gilt fillet framing the boards, ornate ribbed spine, gilt lace inside, gilt edges on marbling (Chambolle-Duru). The most beautiful edition of Montesquieu's Temple de Gnide published in the 18th century, entirely engraved. The illustration consists of a frontispiece with a portrait of the author in medallion, an engraved title, a vignette at the head of the dedication, and nine figures outside the text, all engraved by Le Mire after compositions by Charles Eisen. The last plate bears here the caption " Embrassez-moi : elles croissent " ; some proofs are captioned : " La chaleur va les renaître... " Very nice copy bound by Chambolle-Duru . Rubbing at the top of the hinges. The leaves on pages 13-14 and 15-16 as well as on pages 37-38 and 39-40 have been inverted. Scattered foxing, concentrated mainly on the frontispiece and the title.