Nice and clean copy of this uncommon Renouard edition of a key homiletic text by Jean Baptiste Massillon (1663 - 1742). He was a French churchman, preacher, bishop of Clermont from 1717 until his death and member of the Académie française. On the death of Henri de Villars, Archbishop of Vienne, in 1693, he was commissioned to deliver a funeral oration, and this was the beginning of his fame. He enjoyed in the 18th century a reputation equal to that of Bossuet and of Bourdaloue, and has been much praised by Voltaire, D'Alembert and kindred spirits among the Encyclopaedists. The "petit carême", first published 1745, is a series of sermons which he delivered before the young king Louis XV. The ten homilies held before his court at fast days in 1718 are counted among his exemplary contemplations. Rhetorically excellent they are directed towards the religious feeling despite their moralistic contents. At times Massillon is so severe as to render himself suspect of Jansenism (against which he never ceased to guard himself) and he was suspected of complaisancy for the sensibilities and the philosophism of his time. During Massillon's lifetime only the funeral oration on the Prince de Conti was published (1709); he even disavowed a collection of sermons which appeared under his name at Trévoux (1705, 1706, 1714). The first authentic edition of his works appeared in 1745, which has has been frequently reprinted. Graesse IV, p. 439; Cf. Vicaire II, 781 and V 586 for later editions. Bibl. de France nr.: 33092960; Small library stamp on first flyleaf, boards slightly worn, else nice and spotless.