DONATO (Nicolo) : L'Homme d'Etat. Paris, Saillant, and Liège, Plomteux, 1767; three volumes in 12, red morocco, very ornate ribbed spine, triple fillet and gilt corner finials on the boards, gilt edges. First French edition in France of this treatise on the art of governing and the qualities required for a statesman. It deals with politics, law, administration and contains a treatise on public finance. It was originally published in Italian in 1753. Nicolo Donato (1539-1618) was a prominent member of a family that had served the Republic of Venice for two centuries. The French translation was done by Jean Baptiste Robine Robinet who enriched the work with a large number of notes, mainly taken from Montesquieu. A very nice copy, very well bound at the time.