A collection of eleven engravings, including the Title of 1661 and other works in the definitive state by Jacque Leman and Edmond Hedouin.

The collection is provided with complete provenance dating to its issue (including copy of original issuance certificate), the collection title page, publisher"s title page, a list of engravings and certificate of authenticity.

Synopsis:
With The School for Husbands (L'é?cole des Maris) Moliére threw all his previous achievements into the shade, whether as regards character, plot, situation or dialogue. In selecting his materials he would appear to have had in mind the Adelphi of Plautus and Lopé de Vega's Discreta Enamorada. His obligation to these works, however, was slight, as a comparison of them with School for Husbands will show. Two brothers, Ariste and Sganarelle, with Moliére as the latter, are respectively guardians of two sisters, Léonor and Isabelle, the former personated by Armande Béjart. Each intends to espouse his ward, but treats her in a different way. Ariste, reposing implicit confidence in Léonor, concedes her full liberty of action; Sganarelle, suspicious and tyrannical, seeks to cut Isabelle from all intercourse with the world. The wisdom of Ariste is justified by the event; but the other suitor, in addition to forfeiting any regard Isabelle may have had for him, is made a go-between for the benefit of a more favored lover, whose name is Valérie. In many points this groundwork is new, and for all that constitutes the excellence of the play, especially the robust manliness and good sense of Ariste, the delicacy with which Isabelle is exhibited in difficult circumstances, and the piquancy of the character of the soubrette, as played by Madelein Béjart, Moliére was indebted only to his own genius. For the rest, School for Husbands was triumphantly successful. Loret tells us that it became the "delight of all Paris." Not long afterward it was represented by the same players before the court at Vaux, where, as in the capital, it added to the reputation of the dramatist.

Moliére's reputation was already high enough to compensate him for the sacrifices he had made to obtain it. In the comedy of character and incident he had left Corneille far behind, at the same time infusing into his dialogue a vivacity and grace not to be found in that of the author of Cinna and Polyeucte. Indeed, it is not too much to say that School for Husbands gave its author a place in the very foremost rank of comic poets, and from this time a new play from his pen was looked forward to with the keenest interest. Still more rapid, perhaps, was the progress he made at court. It required less intelligence than Louis XIV possessed to perceive that Moliére would add to the glories of the reign just begun, and his admiration of the dramatist was not improbably blended with a feeling of strong personal regard for one whose noble qualities of heart were as conspicuous as his intellectual gifts, whose conversation and manners were those of a lettered gentleman, and who bore himself in the presence of his sovereign with a deference wholly free from the taint of servility. In the words of Bazin, "Moliére was now to enjoy something more than a disdainful protection at the hands of the king. From the moment these two men - the one a monarch freed from leading-strings, the other an unrivalled comedian but still timid moralist - became well acquainted, a tacit understanding subsisted between them - an understanding that the latter might dare everything, with full assurance of protection, upon the sole condition of respecting and amusing the former. No public treaty to which the faith of a monarch is solemnly pledged could have been fulfilled more sincerely; at no time, and in no circumstance, was the shield thrown over the poet withdrawn. He was no poor knight-errant, pursuing his mission at his own risk and peril, exposed to vengeance and apprehensive of being abandoned to his fate. He received confidence and strength from a caprice, for once enlightened, of sovereign power; his genius gave him all the rest."

Reference:
This document was originally published in The Drama: Its History, Literature and Influence on Civilization, vol. 7. ed. Alfred Bates. London: Historical Publishing Company, 1906. pp. 163-165.

School for Husbands: Title - Below, in an upright fame, is a souvenir reduced from the plate of the original edition of 1661, followed by P. Brissard in the edition of 1682. It is the situation of the fourteenth scene of the second act, which will also be found in the large plate etched by C. Chanpollion after M. Leman.

School for Husbands: Title of 1661 - Jacque Leman, as delineator, translated from the French, the original work of 1661.

School for Husbands: Dramatis Personé - Jacque Leman, as delineator, translated from the French, the original work of 1661, a listing of the cast of characters.

School for Husbands: Act I, Scene I - The image depicting Sganarelle and Ariste. Sganarelle: Pray, brother, let us talk less, and let each of us live as he likes."

School for Husbands: Act I, Scene VI - The frame depicts Valere and Ergaste. Ergaste: It is true that this language may sometimes prove obscure if it have not writing of speech for its interpreter."

School for Husbands: Act II, Scene VII - Standing in the door-way, Sganarelle and Ergastee. "Let us lose no time; here it is. Who's there? Why, am I dreaming! Hulloa, I say! Hulloa somebody!"

School for Husbands: Act II, Scene XIV - The scene shows the street before Sganarelle's house; in the foreground is Isabella, who says: "Let him, without more sighing, hasten a marriage which is all I desire, and accept the assurance, which I give her, never to listen to the vows of another." (She pretends to embrace Sganarelle, and gives her hand to Valere to kiss).

School for Husbands: Act II, Scene XV - In the frame, Isabella, Sganarelle and Valere. Sganarelle: "Let us get everything ready for this marriage."

School for Husbands: Act II, Scene XIV - On the street in front of Sganarelle's house: Sganarelle (drawing Isabella to his bosom and holding one of her hands): Oh! Oh, my little pretty face, my poor darling, you shall not pine for long, I promise you."Isabella passes her right hand behind Sganarelle to give to Valere, who, hat in hand and bowing, lifts her fingers and gives them a kiss of the betrothed.

School for Husbands: Act III, Scene III - The scene depicts Isabella pleading with Sganarelle in the entrance to the courtyard, while Valere hides behind a potted plant, eavesdropping on the scene.

School for Husbands: Lisette - Fini - The scene depicts Lisette, standing alone and forlorn in the foyer, "As for you, if you know any churlish husbands, by all means send them to school with us."