réf. 14782 — A Amsterdam, Chez Z. Chatelain, H. Uytwerf, F. Changuion, J. Wetstein, P. Mortier, Arkste et Merkus, M. Uytwerf, et M.M. Rey, A La Haye, Chez P. de Hondt, 1750-1756. Titles printed in red and black, engraved title-vignettes. 4 volumes. Folio. Contemporary polished calf, spine with raised bands, labels with gilt lettering, somewhat worn, corners bumped, some damage to head and foot of spines, one joint weak. Brunet, i, 1826; Conlon 50:438. First edition. Jacques-Georges Chauffepié (9 November 1702, Leeuwarden - 5 July 1786, Amsterdam) was an 18th-century French biographer and calvinist minister and preacher. He added some 1400 articles to Bayle's dictionary. He spend many years preparing the work and showed an enormous learning. It was, together with Bayle's dictionary, one of the earlier dictionaries in Europe published in vernacular to make an impact on the European world of letters."The project of a supplement to the dictionary of Bayle was conceived at the death of the philosopher, but was not executed. After some English people of letters gave an English translation of the book by Bayle in 40 vol, with considerable additions, it was proposed to Chauffepié to translate into French the additions made in England. These additions consisted either in addition to articles by Bayle, either new articles, He devoted many years to this work, and made himself new additions and new articles. Out of nearly fourteen hundred items found in his dictionary, more than six hundred, almost all English, are translated without additions from Chauffepié; about two hundred and eighty are reworked by him, some five hundred items are entirely his. Chauffepié has neither the piquancy nor cynicism of Bayle. He meets the character of Minister which he was invested with. He sometimes straightens English authors, and shows great erudition. Only in a work of this scope can we afford the explanatory notes of the text, or dissertations on some curious history or literature points" (Wikipedia).
