RARE ORIGINAL FIRST EDITION, dated 1738 of "Lettres Juives, ou Correspondance Philosophique, Historique & Critique, Entre un Juif Voyageur end differens Etats de l'Europe, & Les Correspondans en divers endroits" - in short "Jewish Letters", an important and influential work representing FRENCH ENLIGHTENMENT. Complete in 6 volumes, Each volume contains around 30 letters, totaling approximately 180 letters in the initial release. Vol 1: 363pp, vol 2: 363pp, vol.3: 382pp, vol 4: 335pp, vol.5: 480pp, vols6: ca.380pp The author Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens, was an 18th-century French philosopher and writer known for his skeptical and anti-clerical views. His most famous work " Lettres juives" (Jewish Letters, 1738–1742), is a FICTIONAL epistolary collection—letters supposedly exchanged between Jewish rabbis living in different parts of Europe and the Ottoman Empire. It was presented as a translation of letters between fictional Jewish travelers, though Boyer himself was the true author. The format allowed him to critique European society, religion, and politics under the disguise of outsider commentary—a clever Enlightenment strategy to bypass censorship and provoke thought. Inspired by Montesquieu’s Persian Letters it takes a more radical and satirical standing. By using Jewish characters to comment on European society, Boyer creates a mirror effect—similar to Montesquieu’s Persian Letters—that allows readers to see their own culture from an outsider’s perspective. This technique was popular among Enlightenment writers to expose hypocrisy and promote reform. The work advocates for tolerance and criticizes religious persecution, especially of Jews and Protestants, and takes a stand against absolutism and centralized power, reflecting the Enlightenment’s support for more democratic governance. Original full leather bindings. Fly-leaf of vol.I is 2/3 torn near hinges, title-page has a tiny tear at right margins. Fly-leaf, title-page and some pages of vol 3 browned. All fly-leaves with old name writing ( we have photographed all fly-leaves and title-pages). General good and clean condition. (We ship with registered airmail, to Italy with EMS courier. Arrival time 10-30 days, depending on destination)