c. 1740s HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT, ORIGINAL LIMP VELLUM HANDWRITTEN OFFICER'S VADE MECUM IN A FINE CALLIGRAPHIC HAND FRENCH MILITARY THEORY AND PRACTICE: "TRAITE DE FORTIFICATION"

France. Very Good. 1740. Original Vellum. On offer is a superb original French handwritten manuscript titled "Traite de fortification" circa 1740 bound in contemporary limp vellum. In a fine calligraphic hand this book, probably an officer's vade mecum details the epitome of military theory and practice of the era as evidenced by the authors referenced in the manuscript with the greatest frequency being Blondel (1618-1686) and the Comte de Pagan (1604 - 1665). The inclusion of the latter is particularly interesting because the Comte de Pagan is often thought of more as a theoretician than as a practical planner. This also helps date the manuscript as both had influence in military training up until the middle of the eighteenth century, which would make our manuscript no later than about 1750. Less frequently mentioned is the writer Mousquet (1633-1707) again suggests an early date, reinforcing our circa 1740, or even suggesting it may date from the early part of the eighteenth century. Table of Contents include: l'origine de notre maniere de fortifier ~ Maniere de representer La fortification ~ les Noms de Lignes d'un plan de fortification ~ les Noms de angles du plan de fortification ~ les Noms des parties du profil ~ de la fortification en general ~ Fortification Italienne ~ Quarre et pentagone fortifie a Italienne ~ Exagone fortiffie a l'Italienne ~ Eptagone fortiffie a l'Italienne ~ Fortiffication a la Francoise ~ L'octogone a la Francoise ~ Enneagone fortifie a la francoise ~ Fortification a la Holandoise ~ Pour faire la courtine double de la face ~ Octogone fortifie a la Holandoise ~ Dodecagone a la Hollandoise ~ Fortification du comte de Pagan ~ Pentagone et Dodecagone de la grande Maniere ~ Moyenne maniere ~ Pentagone et Dodecagone de la moyenne Maniere ~ Petite maniere ~ Fortification du quarre du comte de Pagan ~ De la grandeur des flancs ~ Du Rempart ~ Du Parapet ~ De la muraille ~ De la fausse-braye ~ Du fosse ~ Des dehors en general ~ Des rauelins ~ Des demilunes ~ Ouvrages Corne sur la pointe du Gastion ~ Des ouvrages a Corne sur les courtines ~ Des ouvrages a Couronne ~ dehors de la fortification du Comte de Pagan ~ De hors defendus au Mousquet ~ Des dehors du canon ~ Fortification deM. de Vauban ~ La fortification de M. Blondel ~ Solidite du Rempart. The vellum shows faint signs of having previously been used as a writing sheet with some general light soiling. Overall in very good original condition. An octavo volume, it measures approximately 17.5cm (7") x 10.5cm (4½") x 2.5cm (1"). Very neat fine calligraphic hand written in ink on paper, text written on both sides, pp. [2, blank leaves], 259 unnumbered text pages, 6 blanks leaves at the end.; French; 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall; VADE MECUM, MILITARIA, MILITARY, FRANCE, FRENCH, STRATEGY, TREATY OF VIENNA ERA, FORTIFICATIONS, DE PAGAN, BLONDEL, THEORY OF WAR, REFERENCE, HANDWRITTEN, HAND WRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, SCRIBE, CALLIGRAPHY, DOCUMENT, antiquité, contrat, vélin, document, manuscrit, papier Antike, Brief, Pergament, Dokument, Manuskript, Papier oggetto d'antiquariato, atto, velina, documento, manoscritto, carta antigüedad, hecho, vitela, documento, manuscrito, Papel, .