GONCOURT (Edmond and Jules de). Diary. Memoirs of literary life. 1851-[à 1884]. Paris: G. Charpentier et Cie, 1887-1888 [volumes 1 to 3]; Paris: Bibliothèque Charpentier, 1890-1892. - 6 volumes in-12, dark green half-chagrin, spines decorated, speckled edges (Henry Mériot in Rochefort). First edition of the first 6 volumes of the 9 published memoirs of the Goncourt brothers, covering the years 1851 to 1884. PRECIOUS EXAMPLE BY PIERRE LOTI, each volume of which has an autograph dispatch from the author: Volume 1: "to Loti // a very friendly memory // Edmond de Goncourt // and thank you for the Japanese // dedication that I learn // this evening from Daudet " Volume 2: "to Loti // the great landscape artist of the sea, of // the Breton coast, of the shores of // the Far East. // Edmond de Goncourt " Volume 3: " to Loti // a friendly memory // Edmond de Goncourt " Volumes 4, 5 and 6: " to Loti // very friendly // Edmond de Goncourt " Beautiful set in contemporary bindings made by Henry Meriot, poet and bookbinder in Rochefort, friend of Pierre Lori . A very well preserved copy. The decoration of the spines of the last two volumes is slightly different from the others. Each volume is on publisher's paper and only the first one is complete with the cover. The fifth volume bears the mention of "Deuxième mille" on the title. Scattered foxing.