La paysane pervertie: ou les dangers de la ville
Restif de la Bretonne. Paris, chéz la dame Veuve Duchesne, librarire, en la rue Saint Jacques, 1784. 4 volumes.

Being restored through the generous contribution of Elisa Tractman Lewis, MA 1995.

Restif was one of the most prolific writers in 18th century France, noted particularly for his erotic stories relating to the temptations and dangers of urban life. La Paysane Pervertie is widely considered the best work of the collaborative effort between Restif, Louis Binet (his illustrator), and Louis Berthet (his engraver). This copy of La paysane pervertie is exceedingly rare. It is a presumed first edition with its original title page-censors later insisted on inserting an explicitly moral title page that read: "Les dangers de la ville, ou Histoire effrayante ét morale d'Ursule, dite la paysane-pervertie ...". The only other known copy is in the Bibliothèque Nationale.

The four volumes are bound in contemporary leather with gold tooling on the spines. The front and back boards on all of the books are loose and need to be reinforced. The front board on volume 1 has almost completely separated from the book, while the front board on volume 4 has begun to separate. The Conservation Center will reinforce the hinges on all 4 books, and will re-attach the front covers to volumes 1 & 4.