[Claude Martin]; Marie of the Incarnation. LA VIE DE LA VENERABLE MERE MARIE DE L'INCARNATION PREMIERE SUPERIEURE DES URSULINES DE LA NOUVELLE FRANCE. TIRÉE DE SES LETTRES & DE SES ECRITES. Paris: Chez Loüis Billaine, 1677. First edition. Full speckled leather, with raised bands and gilt on spine, marbled endpapers. 4to; [36], 757 (i.e. 755), [6]pp. Roman type with italic; text in French. Complete with portrait frontispiece and final errata; with printed marginalia, head-pieces, ornaments, and decorated initials. Sabin 44861.

10 x 7 1/2 in.

From the Collection of Professor Roberto Severino, Washington, D.C.

Marie of the Incarnation (1599-1632), born Marie Guyart in France, was widowed at a young age, leading her to join the Ursuline order and take vows as a nun. She soon traveled abroad as the first female missionary in Quebec, and later opened the first school for girls in North America. Her son, Claude Martin, who she left behind in France when she traveled abroad, wrote this first biography of his mother which consists of her letters along with his "additions."

Some scuffing and wear to boards, (3) corners heavily rubbed, joints and spine with creases, light wear at head of spine with tiny loss at tail; small stain at fore-edge; free endpapers with wormholes, staining, and manuscript, one endpaper removed; title page with stamp of Congregation of Notre-Dame De Verdun; pages with toning and foxing, both occasionally heavy; occasional light grime or small stain, loss, or tear; some damp staining at margins with heavier damp staining at final gatherings, (2) leaves with larger margin tear, 2K1 trimmed at lower and outer margin not impacting text, 3D1 with small sticker at inner margin. A rare first edition, especially with portrait frontispiece; found mostly in institutions, extremely scarce at market.