VOLTAIRE (François Marie Arouet de).
Letters concerning the English Nation.
CONTAINING THE FIRST REFERENCE TO NEWTON'S APPLE
A nice copy of true first edition of Voltaire’s most important early philosophical work, translated by John Lockman from a manuscript prepared by the author himself, preceding the publication of the original French version by a year.
A series of twenty-four letters, written both during and shortly after Volatire’s stay in England from 1726 to 1729, during which he ‘became an ardent apostle of the science, tolerance and common sense of England’ (Babson) and expressed his admiration in this ‘most sympathetic of critiques’ (PMM). ‘Four letters deal directly with Newton and his theories and include, for the first time, the famous anecdote of the falling apple [see p. 127], which gave birth to the law of gravitation’ (PMM). The others discuss, inter alia, John Locke, Francis Bacon, and René Descartes.
‘The book has been called the first bomb hurled against the Ancien Régime. In its high praise of English institutions it leaves no doubt that Voltaire is attacking, by ironic contrast, French despotism and the corruption of the French Church. the book created such a scandal that it was soon condemned and copies burned by the hangman in June, 1734. A warrant was issued against Voltaire but he succeeded in escaping’ (PMM).
Bengesco, 1558.
