Voltaire

1738 · réf. 000010155 — Amsterdam: Etienne Ledet & Compagnie 1738. First edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 8vo. 5 4-399 3 pp. Full contemporary calf with the spine in six compartments spine lettered and decorated in gilt; all edges decoratively stained red. A blue silk-ribbon bookmark bound in. Title page printed in red and black with the publisher's device engraved on it. Illustrated with two frontispieces six plates a folding table a full-page chart in-text engravings and diagrams and engraved head and tailpieces quite elaborate ones. Babson 59-60. Bengesco 1570. Gray 33. PMM 97. SEP Barbara Becker "Émilie du Châtelet". The first state as the Desbordes imprint is generally recognized as the later state. With the pagination error on p. 271. Voltaire is credited with having spread Newton's revolutionary contributions to science across the European continent. He dedicated this work to his romantic and scientific partner the Marquise du Chatelet herself an accomplished scientist. The Marquise completed the first translation of Newton's Principia into French. Voltaire acknowledged her significant contributions to the production of this work an exposition of Newtonian Physics. This book was widely read and quite influential in spreading and popularizing Newton's groundbreaking ideas. Newton's work would replace Descartes' physical system and remained the standard in physics for two hundred years until the discovery of the Theory of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics in the early twentieth century. A brilliant piece of print history and a cornerstone work in the history of science. A Very Good example with the front joint expertly strengthened the bottom corners and spine tips show very minor loss; the rear decorative endpaper has a tiny chip to its corner page 231 is bound in upside down. Etienne Ledet & Compagnie hardcover