Voltaire

1734 · 189026 — London: Jacob Tonson 1734. Later edition of Voltaire's national epic from the library of Francis Hutcheson the 19th-century rector of Donaghadee and grandson of the Enlightenment philosopher of the same name with his engraved bookplate on the front pastedown. The elder Francis Hutcheson was a direct contemporary of Voltaire: both were born in 1694 and came of age as the War of the Spanish Succession was ravaging Europe. Both men had key works published in London in 1728: Voltaire then living in Pall Mall published a lavish subscription edition of the Henriade while Hutcheson then in Dublin published the first edition of his Essay on the Nature and Conduct of the Passions and Affections. La Henriade itself was consciously developed as a national epic for France in the mould of Virgil and Homer. For his hero Voltaire selected the religious moderate Henry IV celebrating his efforts to balance Protestant and Catholic interests. The work was first published in 1723 but despite the 1728 subscription edition the first translation into English did not appear until 1732. Octavo 161 x 104 mm pp. xx 245 1 99 1. Wood-engraved devices and initials title page lettered in red and black. Contemporary calf spine decorated in gilt and with red morocco label marbled endpapers edges red. Contemporary ink signature of one Simeon Boileau possibly the Dublin merchant 1717-1767 and inscrutable near-contemporary French signature to title page. Light bumping and wear minor loss to spine ends front joint splitting but holding firm slight foxing to contents: a very good copy. Bengesco I 372; ESTC T130137. unknown