Les Numéros Parisiens, ouvrage utile et necessaire aux voyageurs à Paris.
Small 8vo (14.7 x 9 cm). viii, 111, [1] pp., final page blank. Very light browning, some stray ink spots on the title. 19th century quarter calf over marbled boards, spine rebacked. A good copy with full margins, untrimmed. First and only edition, apparently reprinted only in 2018, of this guidebook for tourists seeking to explore Paris, positioning it as a more accessible alternative to Mercier’s monumental Tableau de Paris, which commanded a hefty price tag beyond the reach of the average tourist. He adds that “cette production fournit encore plus que les autres des preuves de la franchise qui m’a toujours caractérisé” (the present work provides, more than my other books, a demonstration of my usual frankness). Doppet aimed to protect tourists from potential scams and provide them with a practical and affordable introduction to the city. Les Numéros Parisiens comprises 42 concise chapters, many of which delve into lesser-known aspects of Parisian life. Doppet explores a wide range of topics, from the intricacies of wine and food to the dubious practices of merchants and various professions. He includes short chapters on a wide variety of topics, including bakeries, traiteurs, rotisseries and restaurants, cafés, clothing retailers and launders, itinerant merchants of all kinds, quack healers, gambling establishments (académie de jeux),fortune tellers, dog merchants, prostitutes and ‘Femmes Galantes”, matchmakers, private clubs, spectacles and theater (from freak shows to circus to opera and the comédie italienne), and booksellers. Doppet exposes the tricks of the trade, including those employed by ghostwriters, auctioneers, and charlatans. The underworld also comes under scrutiny, with discussions of swindlers, false beggars and false noblemen, and prostitution. Doppet’s firsthand knowledge of these practices adds depth to his analysis. The precautions not to be robbed or cheated at the fair of Saint-Cloud conclude the volume. While the book highlights the darker side of Paris, it also offers practical advice for newcomers. The title, Les Numéros Parisiens, references the French argot phrase “connaître les numéros”, meaning to be familiar with the tricks and swindles of the underworld. Unlike Mercier's monumental work, Doppet’s work remained largely unnoticed for centuries. However, its insightful content and witty style have recently garnered renewed attention Amédée Doppet (1753-1799), born in Chambéry, initiated his military career at the age of eighteen, joining a cavalry regiment. Subsequently, he transitioned to the elite Gardes Françaises, stationed in Paris. After a three-year tenure, he pursued medical studies at the University of Turin. Upon completing his medical education, he returned to Paris, aspiring to literary fame. His literary endeavors encompassed various genres, including medical treatises, novels, and poetry. However, his works failed to achieve the anticipated recognition till the publication of his Traité du Fouet (Treatise of the Whip), which explored sadism and masochism in the realm of sex and coincided with the publication of Sade's Justine. Embracing the ideals of the French Revolution, Doppet ascended through the military ranks, becoming a brigadier general and then a division general. He distinguished himself in battles against reactionary forces in Lyon and against British and Spanish troops. However, illness forced him to retire from military service. Turning his attention to politics, Doppet sought election but was thwarted by the Directoire, who, through the law of 22 Floréal an VI (i.e. 11 May 1798), aimed to eliminate Jacobin-leaning politicians. Forced to withdraw from public life, Doppet died a little later in Aix-les-Bains in 1799. Doppet’s writings on mesmerism have recently undergone a reevaluation, revealing a revolutionary interpretation that diverges from the mystical interpretations favored by other followers of Franz Mesmer. This unique perspective has elevated Doppet’s status as a significant figure in the history of mesmerism. One of Doppet’s most controversial works was a defense of Madame de Warens, the renowned muse of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. This defense ignited immediate controversy, further solidifying Doppet’s reputation as a provocative and independent thinker. The present work was probably issued in a limited number, as OCLC records only two copies of the original edition (at the BNF in Paris and in Rovereto, Italy), and it remained unknown to Barbier. Other bibliographers mentioned Devilliers ainé or Pierre-Jean-Baptiste Nougaret as possible authors, and only later, on the basis of Doppet’s memoirs, could a correct attribution be made
* OCLC n. 25856639; Conlon, Le siècle des lumières: bibliographie chronologique, vol. 23, 88: 2880 (citing a further copy in the British Library); Lacombe, Bibliographie Parisienne, 293; not in Barbier.
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