Books

Amsterdam: Chez Jacques Desbordes, 1738. First edition of one of the most elegantly illustrated science books ever printed and the book that introduced France to Newtonian physics. Octavo, bound in full contemporary calf with gilt ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, red morocco spine label lettered in gilt, illustrated seven folding engraved plates, headpieces and tailpieces and 60 in-text illustrations. In good condition, lacking the frontispiece. One of the most influential thinkers of the French Enlightenment, François-Marie Arouet, know by the nom de plum Voltaire, was a resourceful and prolific writer. His works touched nearly every literary form including plays, poems, novels, theoretical essays, and scientific treatises. A forthright and candid advocate of civil liberties, he frequently criticized the institutions of religious dogma and classism prevalent in 18th century France, often doing so through satire to avoid censorship and imprisonment.…

Elements of the Philosophy of Newton is a book by the philosopher Voltaire. Its subtitle is 'Moral Philosophy of Newton' and it offers a layman's introduction to Newtonian theories. Voltaire's work helped to popularize Newton's science beyond the English-speaking world.