History of England by Rapin de Thoyras in 10 volumes, 18th century

Period: Early 18th century
Provenance: Private collection from Burgundy
Dimension: 26×21
Price: 1200 euros for 10 volumes

A rare complete copy of the 10 folio volumes of the History of England by Paul de Rapin de Thoyras , a French Protestant historian who took refuge in England, published in French in The Hague between 1733 and 1737. This monumental work remains one of the first great modern historical syntheses on England, intended for a continental readership.

Published by Chrétien Van Lom, Jean Van Duren, and Pierre de Hondt , printers and booksellers, with the privilege of the States of Holland and West Friesland.
Volume I has a title page that differs from the subsequent volumes. It contains four large original folding plates depicting historical scenes, views, or maps.
Volumes II through X all have a uniform title page, printed in red and black, as illustrated here with Volume IX , and cover events up to the beginning of the 18th century.

The work covers the history of England from its origins to the reign of George I.
Volume IX , for example, deals with the interregnum, Cromwell's Republic, and the restoration of the Stuarts with Charles II.
Each volume contains numerous headpieces, illuminated initials, tailpieces and sometimes maps or engravings.
Good overall condition. Contemporary calf bindings, headcaps and corners occasionally rubbed, some foxing. The fold-out plates of Volume I are present , in good condition, with some minor creases. Pages generally clean and legible.
Ancient handwritten annotations on the title page (“ex libris”, notations in Latin), adding a historical and bibliophilic dimension to this copy.

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20250731 164219 History of England by Rapin de Thoyras in 10 volumes, 18th century

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20250731 164111 History of England by Rapin de Thoyras in 10 volumes, 18th century

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20250731 164740 History of England by Rapin de Thoyras in 10 volumes, 18th century

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20250731 165807 History of England by Rapin de Thoyras in 10 volumes, 18th century

Rapin's work was widely used as a historical reference in the 18th century, notably by Voltaire and other enlightened historians. It constitutes a valuable source on English political developments: monarchy, parliamentarism, revolutions, restoration, etc.