(Born: Bondaroy, France, c1540; Died: Bondaroy, France, 1611/12) French poet & dramatist.

La Taille studied the humanities in Paris under Muret and law at Orleans. He was a Huguenot, but later converted to a mild catholicism. Wounded in a military action in 1570, he retired to his estate at Bondaroy. There he began his writing career with political pamplets. Today, he is remembered for his dramas and comedies.

Biographical references: ABF: I 606, 268-281, 301-318; 1063, 22-23. • DBF [Almost available]. • Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition: 16, 239. • Le Moyne, Nicolas Toussaint., Les siecles litteraires de la France. Paris, 1800-3. 4 vols. [Reprinted, Genève, Slatkine, 1971.]. • Nouvelle Biographie Générale (Hoefer): 29, cols. 793-4. • Niceron, Mémoires, 1729-42. • WBI.

La Geomance Abregee, 1574

1. Latin, 1574.
[Contained within an elaborate woodcut border, consisting of two compartments:] La | Geomance Abre- | gee De Iean De La | Taille De Bondaroy, | Gentil-homme de Beauce. | Pour sçauoir les Choses passees, presentes | & futures. | Ensemble le Blason des Pierres Precieu- | ses, Contenant leurs vertus & | proprietez. | A Paris, | Pour Lucas Breyer, tenant sa boutique, au | second pilier de la grand' salle | du Pallais. | [rule] | 1574. | [Within a second compartment: Avec Privilege | Dv Roy.

[Title of part 2 reads:]

[Within an elaborate woodcut border, consisting of two compartments:] Le Blason Des Pier- | res Precievses Con- | tenant Levrs Ver- | tuz & proprietez. | Par Iehan [!] de la Taille de Bondaroy, | A Tres-illustre Dame, Marie de Cleues, | Princesse de Conde. | A Paris, Pour Lucas Breyer, tenant sa boutique, au | second pilier de la grand' salle | du Pallais. | [rule] | 1574. [Within a second compartment: Avec Privilege | Dv Roy.

2 parts in one volume. [Part I] 4°: *⁴ A-N⁴; 56l.; [4], 50, [2]l., with a woodcut portrait of the author on the reverse of the title page. No pagination, foliation and signiatures only. [Part II] 4°: A-E⁴; 20l.; 18, [2]l., with large ornamental woodcut border around title of both parts, full page medallion portrait of the author (repeated at end), and a full page woodcut device. Error in foliation: leaves 9-14 numbered 5-10; leaves 16 and 19 numbered 14 and 16, respectively. Page size: 174 x 120 mm.

Very rare. Epecially in the complete state with two parts (part two has a separate title and pagination and is sometimes found alone). The work contains two prose works by the French Renaissance poet Jean de La Taille, a disciple of Rosnard. The first treats astrology; the second deals with precious stones and the magnet, and a number of smaller poems.

Bibliographical references: Brunet: 3, 869. • Caillet, Manuel, 1912: no. 6174. • NUC: 317, 419-20 [NL 0116995]. • Offenbacher, Bookseller: Catalog 38 (1938), no. 91a. • Roller & Goodman, Catalogue, 1976: 2, 80 [part 2 only]. • Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 6476. • Wellcome Catalog (Books): 1, no. 3678.

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