Voltaire - Elemens de la philosophie de Neuton - 1741

In this work, Voltaire makes Newton's scientific discoveries accessible to the general public, still little known in France. He clearly explains universal gravitation, the laws of motion, and the theory of light, while opposing the dominant Cartesian conceptions. More than a simple scientific treatise, the book is an intellectual weapon of the Enlightenment, defending reason, observation, and experimentation against dogmas and traditions.

Voltaire is one of the major figures of the French Enlightenment. A writer, philosopher and polemicist, he fought intolerance, obscurantism and abuse of power throughout his life. His stay in England profoundly shaped his thinking, particularly through his discovery of Newton and of English intellectual freedom. Through his scientific, philosophical and literary works, Voltaire seeks to illuminate minds and to make reason triumph, making him a central figure in European intellectual modernity.



Elements of the Philosophy of Newton. Containing metaphysics, the theory of light, and that of the world. By Mr. de Voltaire. New edition.

London, 1741.

Complete in one volume, octavo. [399 pp.] Without the title page. Illustrated with six hors-texte plates and a large number of engravings in the text, as well as a fold-out plate.

Contemporary full brown calfskin binding. Ornate spine with raised bands, morocco title label. Wear and losses to the spine, and to the corners and headcaps. Scuffs on the boards. The hinges are split. Front board weakened but still attached. Interior well preserved, scattered foxing.

Good specimen