LA FONTAINE (Jean de) L'Eunuque. Paris: Augustin Courbé, 1654. -In-4, 215 x 165 : (4 ff.), 149 pp., (1 f.). White half parchment, smooth spine (19th-century binding). Riffaud, p. 243. - Rochambeau, p. 573. - Tchémerzine, III, p. 848. Very rare first edition of this 5-act comedy by Jean de La Fontaine, an early work and the first printed book by the famous fabulist, who drew his inspiration from Terence. The edition includes Auguste Courbé's copper-engraved mark on the title and handsome wood-engraved bands at the head of each act. A copy with fine margins. Copies are often trimmed short and the last E of Eunuch is cut on the title, which is not the case here. Very fine copies are extremely difficult to find. This copy is in a modest 19th-century half-binding, lacking the first white endpaper. Small tears on the bottom of the first 5 leaves and those of quires 0 to Q. Holes and wormholes in the lower margins of the leaves, with rare damage to the text.