ARMORIAL BINDINGS Abbé Fleury, Les Mœurs des Israélites et des Chrétiens. Paris, Hérissant, 1771. One volume; Followed by: (Anonymous) - Essais historiques et critiques sur les juifs anciens et modernes ou supplément aux mœurs des Israélites de Monsieur l'abbé Fleuri (sic). Lyon, Barret, 1771. Four parts with separate titles and paginations in two volumes. Together bound in three in-12 volumes, full red morocco, triple gilt fillet around the boards, gilt coat of arms in the center, five-rib spine decorated with gilt fillets and fleurons, gilt titles and tomaisons on green morocco parts, gilt edges, blue tabis linings and endpapers. In this famous text, first published in 1680 with Bossuet's approval and frequently reprinted until the 19th century, Abbé Fleury (1640 - 1723), tutor to the grandsons of Louis XIV, confessor to Louis XV and member of the Académie Française, extolled the virtues of the Old Testament Jews as an example for the Christians of his time. Precious copy completed by the two volumes of Essais Historiques sur les Juifs anciens et modernes, published in Lyon in 1771 and remained anonymous (neither Barbier nor the catalog of the Bibliothèque nationale de France give the author's name). Provenance: The three volumes were formerly placed in three very fine and fresh homogeneous bindings bearing the arms of the Duc de Penthièvre (grandson of Louis XIV and Grand Admiral of France). According to an annotation in ink dated 1856, a pencil note on a flyleaf of the third volume is in the hand of the Duc d'Aumale, son of Louis Philippe and famous bibliophile (during this repacking, the first leaves of volume II of the Essais Historiques were washed - a few stains remain visible - and the title and tomaison pieces were skilfully replaced; spines slightly faded). Engraved and armorial bookplate of William van Mildert (1765 - 1836, last prince-bishop of Durham and one of the founders of that city's university) and, without coat of arms, of Giorgio Di Veroli (probably the Italian banker who took refuge in the USA when the anti-Jewish laws appeared in Italy) on the verso of the first cover of each volume.