867 résultats
17512359The first edition of Voltaire's brilliant historical study of the age of King Louis XIV. Begun as early as 1732 Voltaire sent a manuscript version to Frederic II who was enthusiastic and encouraged its publication. In 1739 Voltaire published a 'Plan Raisonné' of the project including two finished chapters but this was condemned by the court and seized. In 1750 Voltaire left France for Frederic's court at Berlin where he set himself to complete the work. Failing to obtain the 'privilège royal' or even the non-written 'permission tacite' he decided to go ahead and publish the work in Berlin at his own expence. Voltaire continued to add to the work in subsequent editions most notably in the 1753 Berlin edition where he added a supplement in which he refuted the attacks made by La Beaumelle.<br /><br /><i>Two volumes in one 12mo 144 x 85mm pp. xiv 488 1 errata; ii 466 2 errata with the half-title to the first volume in contemporary calf rather worn spine gilt in compartments foot of spine chipped wormhole to the head of spine wanting the front endpaper red edges.</i><br /><br />BN Voltaire Catalogue 3361-3363. C.F. Henning
6930413like new. unknown
173360085London C. Davis and A. Lyon 1733. 8vo. Lovely contemporary full Cambridge-style binding with five raised bands to spine and blindstamped ornamental borders to boards. . Double gilt line-borders to boards. All edges of boards with gilt borders. Gilt title to spine. Hinges neatly and professionally re-inforced. Internally very nice clean and fresh. A lovely crisp and large copy with good margins printed on heavy fine paper. 16 -including preface contents advertisements 253 1 18 -Index pp. <br/><br/><em>The important actual first edition of this highly celebrated key work of the Enlightenment in which the anecdote of how Newton discovered gravity the story about Newton and the falling apple appeared for the first time together with the description of the difference between the physical world view of the English and the French the "plenum" and the "vacuum". This seminal work in which Voltaire famously depicts British philosophy science society and culture in comparison to French can be viewed as the Enlightenment equivalent to Tocqueville's "Democracy in America". This series of essays which is based on Voltaire's experiences when living in England was actually written by Voltaire mostly in English which he mastered to perfection. It has often been presumed that the first edition of the work was that published in French in 1734 but actually the present English edition constitutes the actual first appearance of the work as well as the version that is closest to Voltaire's intention as the French language version is the re-written one and the English version the original. Curiously almost all modern English versions are translations into English of the French edition instead of the original English version making this edition of the utmost importance.After the original English edition of 1733 two French editions soon followed the first in 1734. Unlike the British the French resented the book and already in 1734 the French Parliament issued an order for the author's arrest and condemned the work causing the impact of it in France to be delayed. The book was burned for being "dangerous to religion and civil order". At the same time the work became a bestseller in Britain and as much as 14 editions of the work were published in the eighteenth century. "Inspired by Voltaire's two-year stay in England 1726-8 this is one of the key works of the Enlightenment. Exactly contemporary with Gulliver's Travels and The Beggar's Opera Voltaire's controversial pronouncements on politics philosophy religion and literature have placed the Letters among the great Augustan satires. Voltaire wrote most of the book in English in which he was fluent and witty and it fast became a bestseller in Britain. He re-wrote it in French as the Lettres philosophiques and current editions in English translate his French." Nicholas Cronk Introduction to the Oxford's Classics edition from 1999.The great French philosopher Voltaire was greatly impressed by the philosophical and scientific achievements of the English especially those of Newton Locke and Bacon. As a disseminator of scientific knowledge Voltaire came to play a great rôle in the popularization of Newtonian science and its discoveries the present work being a prime example. Although the work was condemned by the French authorities it still came to play a great rôle in the spreading of Newtonian ideas in France. The present work generally came to play a dominant rôle in Enlightenment accounts of the history of science and philosophy. The work focuses on British science and thought and uses the accounts of these to emphasize what is lacking in French society and French thought. The work is generally very critical towards the French "ancient régime" and when Voltaire here discusses the emergence of empiricism it is viewed as an English tradition that stands in opposition to the French rationalist tradition with Descartes as the prime example. This view is taken over by the following Enlightenment historians of science and philosophy e.g. d'Alembert see for instance his "Preliminary Discourse" of 1751. Some of the most influential passages of the work are probably those on Bacon who Voltaire sees as the founder of modern experimental science Newton and Descartes. Letters XIV on Descartes and Newton XV on attraction and XVI on Newton's Optics from 1704 are among the most influential essays of the work. In XVI Voltaire reflects upon Newton's "Optics" and the way that he rejected Descartes' theory and set out his own account of the properties of light. In XV he presents the first account of Newton and the falling apple: "As he was walking one Day in his Garden and saw some Fruits fall from a Tree he fell into profound Meditation on that Gravity the Cause of which had so long been sought but in vain by all the Philosophers whilst the Vulgar think there is nothing mysterious in it. He said to himself that from what height soever in our Hemisphere those Bodies might descend their Fall wou'd certainly be in the Progression discover'd by Galileo; and the Spaces they run thro' would be as the Square of the Times. Why may not this Power which causes heavy Bodies to descend and is the fame without any sensible Diminution at the remotest Distance from the Center of the Earth or on the Summits of the highest Mountains; Why said Sir Isaac may not this Power extend as high as the Moon." pp. 127-28.But perhaps the most famous passage in the volume is the opening of Letter XIV: "A Frenchman who arrives in London will find Philosophy like every Thing else very much chang'd there. He had left the World a "plenum" and he now finds it a "vacuum". At Paris the Universe is seen compos'd of Vortices of subtile Matter; but nothing like it is seen in London. In France 'tis the Pressure of the Moon that causes the Tides; but in England 'tis the Sea that gravitates towards the Moon; so that when you think that the Moon should make it Flood with us those Gentlemen fancy it should be Ebb which very unluckily cannot be prov'd." pp. 109-10. </em> hardcover
1925elala168Paris: René Kieffer 1925. 1925. 8vo. pp. numerous text illus. with pochoir hand-colouring. contemporary half morocco original coloured pictorial wrs. bound in. First Edition Illustrated by Joseph Hémard Limited to 500 copies this one of 480 on vélin de cuve. One of the few of Voltaires works to deal with a distinctly economic subject. Directed against the Physiocrats and specifically Mercier De La Rivières Ordre naturel et essentiel des sociétés the witty and sarcastic tale takes its title from Merciers statement that in an organized state according to the physiocratic doctrine an average sum of forty crowns should suffice for the existence of each citizen. Voltaire singles out for special ridicule the proposed impot unique or single tax on land. The story revolves around the owner of a small estate yielding an annual net income of forty crowns who is alarmed at the promulgation of several edicts "by a few gentlemen who having some leisure have undertaken to govern the kingdom from their firesides". According to them the government "being by divine- and birth-right co-proprietor of his land he at least owes it one-half of his income" and that "as all wealth proceeds from land land is to bear the whole burden of taxation." Carteret IV 406. 1st Edition. Paris: René Kieffer, 1925. unknown
198195056Berkeley: Arif Press 1981. Hardcover. Fine. Translated by P. H. Hanssen. Slim small octavo. Cloth with applied paper label. Fine. One of 150 copies. Arif Press hardcover
192322200Paris: Rene Kieffer 1923. leather_bound. Orig. full two-toned brown leather covers decorated in blind backstrip lettered in gilt marbled endpapers. Teg. Fine. 54 pages. 24 x 19 cm. Limited edition copy 95 of 500 on velin la forme with 45 vignettes in pochoir by Joseph Hemard. An exquisite copy bound by Kieffer with his label on verso of front cover paste-down. Hémard’s lasting fame however lies in his book illustrations – always with a distinctly French character usually comic and often mildly erotic. He was probably the most prolific book illustrator in the first half of the twentieth century in France. Rene Kieffer unknown
178467131Londres: chez Robinson No 25 Pater-Noster-Row 1784. First British edition 8vo pp. 2 ii 208; vignette title page; original blue paper wrappers; edges curled small cracks at spine ends; all else very good. Unpublished during the author's lifetime these Memoires are generally seen as an outright attack on Frederick of Prussia after Voltaire had suffered humiliation on Frederick's orders in Frankfurt. chez Robinson, No 25, Pater-Noster-Row unknown
1770028261765 - 1770 s.l. sans éditeur 1770. Cramer - Genève - 20 x 12 cm - 2376pgs - 388 pgs - 430 pgs - 366 pgs - 364 pgs - XXIIles pages 3-312 pgs 1et 2 n'existent pas - 404 pgs - plein basane dos à 5 nerfs - fleurons estampées en or dans les caissonstomaisons rouges avec une partie du titre estampée en or - traces d'usage aux dosaux coiffes et aux coins mais très acceptable nom à l'intérieur des plats suppérieurs pour le premier vol.: texte en manuscrit en face du faux titre 18ième- en tout des ex. très acceptables - Bengesco 2212 - Barbier III 532 - les parties 1-3 probablement imprimés en 1766 mais la date sur la page de titre est 1765 le supplément dans la 3ième partie est intégré dans le texte <br/> <br/> 1765 - 1770 s.l. sans éditeur unknown
1905Geneva: Cramer 1765-1768. Five volumes. A GORGEOUS COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION with ALL HALF-TITLES PRESENT of one of Voltaire's most important and fascinating works a haphazard collection of philosophical and literary pieces which clearly demonstrate the depth and scope of his genius. The original intention was to publish only three volumes and for that reason many bibliographers consider the first three volumes a complete work in itself although Voltaire continued until the 19th volume appeared in 1776. I offer here the first three volumes along with the next two. In his introduction to the third part Voltaire points out that some of the works which appear here had been published before but only incorrectly and incompletely. He goes on to assert that many of the other works originally printed alongside them and attached to his name were not in fact by him. His reason for publishing this collection therefore was to present a definitive and complete text of many of his most important works many of which are printed here for the first time. Included are his commentary on Beccaria his Traite sur la tolerance with documentation that had not previously been published and dozens of other pieces. Volume 3 is complete with the supplement which is often missing. Due to their subversive nature they all ended up on the Catholic Church's Index of Prohibited Books these books were published without the name of the author the name of the publisher or the place of publication. Due to their popularity they were reprinted by Cramer and mercilessly pirated by other publishers. Most sets are mixed with different printings by different publishers. The volumes I offer here however are first printings throughout. Nicely printed on fine laid paper with numerous head- and tailpieces. 8vo. Bound in very attractive contemporary half French calf and decorated boards spines in six compartments leather spine labels. Minimal traces of wear to corners else fine and bright with large margins and no defects inside or out. Bengesco 2212; B.N. vol. 214 part I columns 82-86; Barbier III 531-532. A very rare and important set in contemporary bindings and in excellent condition. <br/><br/> Geneva: Cramer, 1765-1768 hardcover
19287275<p>1/500 FIRST EDITION THUS VERY GOOD.</p> VOLTAIRE SOC hardcover
1775044596Genève et Paris: Cramer et Bardin 1775. Edition encadrée" Complete set of all 40 volumes with the engraved frontispieces where issued all pages printed within the wood-engraved frames octavo format. Uniformly bound in mottled calf with gilt spine trim and lettering; some leather chipping mostly at the head of some spines. all edges marbled. Contents: t. 1 La Henriade divers autres poëmes et toutes les piéces relatives à l'épopée. t. 2-10 Ouvrages dramatiques précédés et suivis de toutes les piéce qui leur sont relatifs. t. 11 La Pucelle d'Orléans poëme suivie du Temple de Gout &c. t. 12-13 Mélanges de poësies &c. t. 14-17 Essai sur les moeurs et l'esprit des nations; et sur les principaux faits de l'histoire depuis Charlemagne jusqu'à Louis XIII. t. 18-20 Siècle de Louis XIV auquel on a joint un précis du siècle de Louis XV et un autre morceau d'histoire. t. 21 Histoire de Charles XII roi de Suède avec les pièces qui y sont relatives. t. 22 Histoire de l'Empire de Russie sous Pierre le Grand divisée en deux parties. t. 23-24 Annales de l'Empire depuis Charlemagne fragmens sur quelques revolutions dans l'Inde fragmens sur l'histoire générale et divers autres morceaux historiques. t. 25-30 Questions sur l'Encyclopédie par des amateurs. t. 31-32 Romans philosophiques élémens de Newton précédés et suivis de divers morceaux intéressans. t. 33-37 Mélanges de littérature d'histoire et de philosophie. t. 38-40 Piéces détachées attribuées à divers hommes célèbres. Cramer et Bardin unknown
180832539-528Paris De l'Imprimerie des Frères Mame & Chez Antoine-Augustin Renouard 1808-16. With 178 engraved plates mostly by Moreau le Jeune. 8vo c. 210 x 140 mm. Late 19th century full red morocco gilt lettering on spines somewhat faded gilt outer and inner fillets all edges gilt. From the library of James Arthur Taylor with his engr. bookplate. Paris De l'Imprimerie des Frères Mame & Chez Antoine-Augustin Renouard 1808-16. Rare edition of Voltaire's 1694-1778 collected works illustrated with a suite of engravings mostly done by J.-M. Moreau le jeune 1741-1814. Single copies from the present edition were also sold separately by Renouard. "Cette collection de gravures est l'une des plus belles qui ait jamais été exécutée pour aucun livre" Fürstenberg. Arranged in 21 vols. by Renouard it contains of: Théatre 9 vols. 1809; Romans 2 vols. 1809 and 1808; Poèmes et discours en vers 1808; Epîtres stances et odes 1808; Contes en vers satires et poésies mèlées 1808; Siècle de Louis XIV 2 vols. 1808; Précis du siècle de Louis XV 1808; Histoire de l'empire de Russie sous Pierre le Grand 1809; La Henriade poème avec les notes et variantes suivi de l'essai sur la poésie épique 1816; La Pucelle d'Orléans poème en vingt et un chants 1816; Histoire de Charles XII roi de Suède 1816. The majority of the volumes are illustrated with 113 engravings by Moreau le Jeune. Renouard added a series of c. 65 portraits of famous peoples mostly engraved by Augustin Saint-Aubin the copper-plates of which Renouard possessed. Probably this is the best-known work of Moreau le Jeune draftsman und engraver. After the first announcement of the publication of the Kehl edition of Voltaire's complete works he started the series of illustrations without an order and on his own account. Later Moreau sold them to Beaumarchais who included them in the de-luxe edition of Voltaire's complete works printed at Kehl in 1785-89. These series was also sold separately as in the present case.- Plates partly browned text-page very clean otherwise a nice set. - Bengesco IV 2184; Quérard La France littéraire X 378-379; Bocher Catalogue de l'oeuvre pp. 582 & 618; Sander Illustr. franz. Bücher 1407; cf. Cohen/de Ricci 1047; cf. Lewine p. 566; no copy in BnF. LITERATURE: FRENCH ; LITERATUR: FREMDSPRACHIGE ; Paris, De l'Imprimerie des Frères Mame & Chez Antoine-Augustin Renouard unknown
1785355899De l'imprimerie de la Societe Litteraire-Typographique. 1785. Contemporary mottled calf raised bands gilt spine decorations marbled edges marbled endpapers. Good plus moderate wear to covers spine decorations faded contents clean and tight. 8vo. 20.8x12.3 cm. French text. Volume 20 only. weight: 1.2 lb. De l'imprimerie de la Societe Litteraire-Typographique. hardcover
1785355892De l'imprimerie de la Societe Litteraire-Typographique. 1785. Contemporary mottled calf raised bands gilt spine decorations marbled edges marbled endpapers. Good plus moderate wear to covers spine decorations faded contents clean and tight. 8vo. 20.8x12.3 cm. French text. Volume 46 only. weight: 1.3 lb. De l'imprimerie de la Societe Litteraire-Typographique. hardcover
1785355900De l'imprimerie de la Societe Litteraire-Typographique. 1785. Contemporary mottled calf raised bands gilt spine decorations marbled edges marbled endpapers. Good plus moderate wear to covers spine decorations faded contents clean and tight. 8vo. 20.8x12.3 cm. French text. Volume 21 only. weight: 1.2 lb. De l'imprimerie de la Societe Litteraire-Typographique. hardcover
1785355890De l'imprimerie de la Societe Litteraire-Typographique. 1785. Contemporary mottled calf raised bands gilt spine decorations marbled edges marbled endpapers. Good plus moderate wear to covers spine decorations faded front joint weakcontents clean and tight. 8vo. 20.8x12.3 cm. French text. Volume 43 only. weight: 1.2 lb. De l'imprimerie de la Societe Litteraire-Typographique. hardcover
1785355891De l'imprimerie de la Societe Litteraire-Typographique. 1785. Contemporary mottled calf raised bands gilt spine decorations marbled edges marbled endpapers. Good moderate wear to covers spine decorations faded front board detached contents clean and tight. 8vo. 20.8x12.3 cm. French text. Volume 41 only. weight: 1.2 lb. De l'imprimerie de la Societe Litteraire-Typographique. hardcover
1785355894De l'imprimerie de la Societe Litteraire-Typographique. 1785. Contemporary mottled calf raised bands gilt spine decorations marbled edges marbled endpapers. Good plus moderate wear to covers spine decorations faded spine heel chipped contents clean and tight. 8vo. 20.8x12.3 cm. French text. Volume 22 only. weight: 1.4 lb. De l'imprimerie de la Societe Litteraire-Typographique. hardcover
117120Paris Chez E. A. Lequuien 1820-1826. Contemporary half calf. Gilt spines. A little wear to top of spines. Occasional foxing. . <br/><br/><em>Volume 1. Vie de Voltaire. Par Marquis de Condorcet; èloges et autres pièces. Volume 2-9. Théatre. Volume 10. La Henriade. Volume 11. La Pucelle d`Orléans. Volume 12-14. Poésies. Volume 15-18. Essai sur les moeurs. Volume 19-20. Siècle de Louis XIV. Volume 21. Siècle de Louis XV. Volume 22. Histoire de Charles XII. Volume 23. Histoire de Russie. Volume 24. Annales de l`Empire. Volume 25. Histoire du Parlement. Volume 26-27. Mélanges historiques. Volume 28-29. Politique et législation. Volume 30. Physique. Volume 31-34. Philosophie. Volume 35. Dialogues et entretiens philosopiques. Volume 36-42. Dictionnaire philosophique. Volume. 43-44. Romans. Volume 45. Facéties. Volume 46-47. Mélanges littéraires. Volume 48-49. Commentaires sur Corneille. Volume 50-52. Correspondance avec le Roi de Prusse. Volume 53. Correspondance avec l`Impératrice de Russie. Volume 54-55. Correspondance avec d`Alembert. Volume 56-69. Correspondance génerale. Volume 70. Table analytique des oeuvres de Voltaire. </em> unknown
1834vlt21Paris: Chez Lefèvre & Firmon Didot Frères. G: in good condition. Covers rubbed and scuffed. Edge-wear. Spine missing on volume 4; loss to spines on volumes 57 & 69. Some splitting to outer hinges. Sporadic foxing and browning; sometimes heavy. Some staining at page edges. 1834. Reprint. Brown hardback half-leather cover with marbled boards. 210mm x 130mm 8" x 5". 40000pp. Published 1834 - 1840. Comprises: Biographie; Theatre; La Henriade; La Pucelle; Poesies; Essais sur les Moeurs; Siecle de Louis XIV; Histoire du Parlement; Annals de l'Empire; Histoire de Charles XII; Histoire de Russie; Dictionaire Philosophique; Romans; Commentaires sur Corneille; Melanges; Correspondance; Table de Matieres A - K; Table de Matieres L - Z. French text throughout. Very heavy set - significat extra shipping needed for overseas. . Chez Lefèvre & Firmon Didot Frères hardcover
1985BN256875Frankfurt am Main : Insel-Verlag 1985. 1985. Philosophisches Wörterbuch. Voltaire. Nach d. Textausw. von Rudolf Noack hrsg. u. eingel. von Karlheinz Stierle. Aus d. Franz. von Erich Salewski Wörterbuch u. Karlheinz Stierle Anh. / Insel-Taschenbuch ; 855 <br/><br/>Philosophisches Wörterbuch. Voltaire. Nach d. Textausw. von Rudolf Noack hrsg. u. eingel. von Karlheinz Stierle. Aus d. Franz. von Erich Salewski Wörterbuch u. Karlheinz Stierle Anh. / Insel-Taschenbuch ; 855 Voltaire Francois Marie Arouet de und Karlheinz Stierle Frankfurt am Main : Insel-Verlag unknown
1977020413Lincoln: Penmaen Press 1977. First Edition. Hardcover. Light marking to cloth along spine. Near Fine in a Near Fine slipcase. Lynd Ward. Quarto in cloth-backed boards. Of 200 numbered copies of this special edition this copy not numbered but marked "O.S." out-of-series. Illustrated with six wood engravings by Lynd Ward. SIGNED by artist Lynd Ward Anthony Hecht the translator and Arthur Wilson who wrote the introduction. Hand-printed by Michael McCurdy and Evelyn Clarke with Ward's engravings struck from the blocks. There were also 100 deluxe copies and 200 trade copies. Prospectus laid in. <br/><br/> Penmaen Press hardcover
782Lincoln Massachusetts: Penmaen Press. Limited Edition. Hardback. Very Good. Lynd Ward. Black cloth and patterned paper boards in slipcase. #147/200 copies Signed by Anthony Hecht Lynd Ward and Arthur Wilson. Penmaen Press unknown
197721835Lincoln Massachusetts: Penmaen Press 1977. First English language edition. Hardcover. vg. 4to. 34pp. Black half clothed binding over b/w illustrated boards in black cloth covered slipcase. Some wear and rubbing to slipcase. Half Title. Frontispiece. Pages uncut. "Translated into English by Anthony Hecht with six wood engravings by Lynd Ward and an introduction by Arthur Wilson". A poem by Voltaire about the devastating earthquake that struck Lisbon on Nov. 1st 1755. A special edition of 200 signed by Hecht Ward and Wilson. In French and English. In very good condition. Penmaen Press hardcover
197750694Lincoln:: Penmaen Press. Near Fine. 1977. Hardcover. Bilingual text: French and English. Translated from the French by Anthony Hecht. Illustrated with six wood engravings by Lynd Ward. Introduction by Arthur Wilson. Limited edition 100 copies. SIGNED by Hecht Ward and Wilson. Light mottling along front gutter else near fine in black cloth and decorated paper covered boards. No slipcase. . Penmaen Press, hardcover
