Lettres Sur Les Anglois et Les Francois et Sur Les Voiages [3 Tomes] by Muralt, Beat-Louis De - 1726

Cologne [= Zürich], 1727. 12mo. (12),+ 430 pp. Stain in beginning and at the end. minor spotting, p. 96 with old paper repair and 365-366 with tear in lower margin. Contemporary half calf, gilt spine with raised bands and beige label, red edges. From the library of Fredrik von Frisendorff, with book plate and stamp. VD18 10842004. A reprint. The first edition was published in 1725 and it was quickly expanded in new editions. It is one of the earliest comparative studies of English and French customs and usage, published for a Swiss audience. Béat Louis de Muralt (1665-1749) Swiss learned and important for the Swiss enlightenment.

[Zurich or Geneva?], 1725., 1725. 8vo. pp. 7 p.l.(incl. errata), 543. woodcut ornaments & title vignette. title in red & black. contemporary calf, gilt back (joints split, extremities chipped, some mainly marginal dampstaining). First Edition. An interesting view of late seventeenth century English and French society by the Swiss author, Muralt, who was to influence Voltaire, Rousseau, and other writers of the Enlightenment. The work and its author drew praise from Voltaire long after publication: "le livre très sage et très ingénieux de M. de Muralt, qui fait tant d’honneur à la Suisse". Barbier II 1302. Cioranescu 47696. Quérard VI 363 (citing Zurich as place of publication).. 1st Edition. Hardcover.

[n.p., Zurich?: 1725 First edition of an uncommon title (OCLC lists eight copies). A Cologne edition also appeared in 1725; it extended to 312 pages only. Contemporary calf, rebacked to style, gilt spine. . [12], [1, errata], [1], 543 pp. . Title-page in black and red. Author's name in ink on title-page in an early hand, last gathering has small marginal waterstain at top corner. A very good, clean copy. This is thought to be the first book that analyzed the English character for a French and Swiss audience. Muralt's (1665-1749) observations were hailed by Voltaire as very inciteful; a note to one of the catalogue entries in OCLC calls this a "…pioneer work in shifting Swiss and German interests from French classicism to English achievements and attitudes." "His travels in France and England took place in 1694-95. While in England he picked up some deistic views which on his return to Bern caused his banishment. He then began destroying the letters he had written recording his impressions of… Read More

1726. Three Volumes bound in Two (complete set). [Paris], 1726. Small-Octavo (10 cm x 16 cm). 200, 200, 224 pages. Hardcover / Original 18th century leather with gilt lettering on spine. New Spine-Label applied to Volume I. Both Volumes housed in a bespoke built Solander Box. Some minor rubbing. Provenance: From the library of a member of the 1798 Rebellion under Wolfe Tone, William Livingston Webb, with Webb's name in ink to the titlepage of Volume I and his name also to the first page of Volume II. Webb notes in Volume two that he purchased the books in Lille. While other Protestant Leaders of the Rebellion were hanged, William Livingston Webb was exiled. With a manuscript-poem in english and remarks in french, citing "Voltaire" to rear endpaper of Volume II: "Les Tome auteur n'art de l'esprit qui autart qu'il enfant, ny le recherchant jamais pensent avec priment avec clarte" (?) - Voltaire (?). [William Livingston-Webb noted the purchase of these books on the endpaper of Volume II: "J'ai acheté… Read More