Hand-drawn, color map of Europe as of 1743 with place names, geopolitical borders and some topographical features. Boundaries and features are noted, with relief shown pictorially.

Jacques Autreau’s play Platée, ou Junon jalouse was based on a story by a second-century Greek author named Pausanias who chronicled his travels (including rituals and traditions) in ten books that represent the different regions of Greece. At the time Le Valois d’Orville appropriated Autreau’s drama for a libretto, it was uncommon for French court operas to include comic features, and even Autreau’s spoken play lacked the comic tone of the opera. Yet, the humor extends beyond the plot; for instance, the sounds of frogs and birds are represented instrumentally. Platée was first performed at Versailles for the wedding of the dauphin and Princess Maria Theresa of Spain in 1745.

Dardanus went through a number of revisions from the time of its premiere in 1739 until its final eighteenth-century run at the Opéra in 1771. The version in the Virtual Rare Book Room was first performed in 1744; the last three acts exhibit extensive plot changes from the first edition. The final version in 1760 received the most positive acclaim, especially compared to the criticisms that were made about the nonsensical plot of the first version. By this point, however, the polemic between the Lullistes and the Ramistes, which had surrounded the premiere, had subsided.

This map shows North and Central America and some of the surrounding areas. Some places are labeled; bodies of water and some specific locations are marked with various symbols (there does not appear to be a related key).

Map shows mid-eighteenth century geography and major cities in Mexico and Guatemala. Relief shown pictorially. Scale [ca. 1:5,400,000].

Map shows cities, towns, missions, presidios, and notable physical features; boundaries for Mexican provinces; areas of Native American habitation. Relief shown pictorially. No scale noted.

Map shows the geography, settlements, and Native American habitation in mid-eighteenth century North America that spans a majority of the the continent from the eastern coast to the Rio Grande region of "Nouveau Mexique." Scale undetermined.

Map shows ports and settlements in "New Spain," the coast line of the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the West Indies, and the northern coast of South America; currents. Includes text, "Observation de l'Editeur au sujet des mesures," a key to rivers, and additional notes. Relief shown pictorially. Depths shown by soundings. Scale not indicated.

Map shows New France/Canada, Mexico/New Spain, English colonies, and Florida extending to New Mexico; major cities and settlements, areas of Native American habitation; the West Indies, the northern coast of South America, and the tip of California. Relief shown pictorially. Scale not given.

Map shows major cities, political divisions, and physical features for the eastern portion of North America from Labrador and the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico to the northern coast of South America, including the West Indies, and as far west as New Mexico; shows details of harbors and island coasts in insets. Insets: "Plaisance," "Boston," [The Bason], "Nouvelle York," "Charles Town," "Bermude," "S. Augustin," "Providence," "Havane," "S. Jago," "Kingston Pt.," "Port S. Antoine" [2], "Barbade," "Antigoa," "Cartagene," and "Porto Bello." Relief shown pictorially. Scale [ca. 1:10,000,000].

Map shows political boundaries, internal states, major cities, and notable physical features for New Mexico, Mexico, Guatemala, and the northern South America. Inset: "La Terre Ferme." Relief shown pictorially. Scale not given.

This four-act ballet was premiered on 22 December 1721 at the Tullieries and, later, performed at L'Academie Royale de Musique on 29 May 1725 and 27 May 1734, and at the Theatre on 22 May 1742. Various dramatis personae present an allegorical depiction of the French court.

Map shows major cities and political divisions for eastern and western hemispheres; 5 continents and portions of the 6th [Australia]; islands south of the eastern tip of Asia and North American coastline extends further northwest in version of map described herein. Includes six ancillary maps: "Fig. I, Hemisphere polaire Arctique," "Fig. II, Hemisphere polaire Antarctiq," "Fig. III, Hemisphere de las Sphere oblique pour l'Horizon de Nuremberg," "Fig. IV, Les Antipodes de Nuremberg," and two additional figures showing the tilt of the earth at the summer and winter solstice. Relief shown pictorially. Scale not noted.

Map shows mid-eighteenth century North America. Expectoration routes, areas of Native American habitation, and European settlements in New France, French Louisiana, New Mexico, northeast New Spain, and a portion of the English colonies are noted. Inset: Carte particuliere des embouchures de la rivie S Louis et de la Mobile [Map of the St Louis and Mobile river mouths]. Includes legend and notes. Relief shown pictorially. Depths by soundings on inset. Scale [ca. 1:4,900,000].

Map shows basic geography, territories, major cities, and areas of Native American habitation in mid-eighteenth century North America, Central America, and the West Indies. No scale noted.

Map shows the geography, settlements, and Native American habitation in mid-eighteenth century North America that spans a majority of the the continent from the eastern coast to the Rio Grande region of "Nouveau Mexique." Inset: [Baffin Bay, Hudson Bay, Labrador, and Greenland]. Scale undetermined.