Lessing

1787 · H244 — Berlin: Arnold Wever 1787. Hardcover. Very Good. In English: On the Purpose of Jesus and His Disciples Another Fragment of the anonymous Wolfenbüttel author 1784; Fragments of the anonymous Wolfenbüttel author an Appendix to the Fragment On the Purpose of Jesus and His Disciples 1784; Remaining Still Unpublished Works of the Wolfenbüttel Fragmentist. A Posthumous Paper by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. Edited by C. A. E. Schmidt pseudonym for Johann Andreas Riem 1787. First volume is a “neue Auflage†second volume is a first printing third volume probably also a first printing; it does not list a publisher but most scholars think it was Wever who published this volume as well. 8vo old half vellum and patterned paper-covered boards 276 298 410 pp. Very good light soil and rubbing to binding minor ex-library marks with bookplates to pastedown blindstamp to title pages. Lessing died in 1781; these posthumously published 'fragments' are an outgrowth of the Wolfenbüttel controversy 1774–1778 which arose when Lessing serving as librarian at the ducal library in Wolfenbüttel published fragments from the late Hermann Samuel Reimarus’s unpublished manuscripts criticizing revealed religion and biblical miracles. Lessing issued these as the Wolfenbüttel Fragments arguing that open theological debate was vital for truth. The fragments’ rationalist deistic arguments—denying revelation and the divinity of Christ—provoked fierce opposition from Lutheran authorities particularly Pastor Johann Melchior Goeze of Hamburg. The dispute escalated into public pamphlet battles over faith reason and the limits of theological inquiry ending when the Duke forbade Lessing to write on religion. The controversy became a key moment in the German Enlightenment’s challenge to orthodox theology. These appear to be Lessing’s last word on the subject with an essay and notes by him plus further material from Reimarus’s manuscripts issued from beyond the grave. Arnold Wever hardcover