Lettres

228 x 156 mm.

Descartes, René. Letters of Mr. Descartes in which the most beautiful Questions of Morality, Physics, Medicine, and Mathematics are discussed.
Paris, Charles Angot, 1657.

Original edition (Tchemerzine) containing “119 French and Latin Letters addressed mostly to the Queen of Sweden, the Princess Palatine, Mersenne, Chanut, Le Roy, Morin. They are sometimes accompanied by woodcut figures” (Guibert).

Guibert, pp.77-79; Tchemerzine, II, 785; Brunet, II, 611.

The publication of Descartes’ Letters (1657-1667) had cooled the zeal of the Jansenists towards him, particularly Arnauld and Nicole and no doubt also Pascal, who reproached him for having wanted to do without God in his physics.

“Despite the attacks to which he was subjected, Descartes’ reputation as an innovative philosopher had spread beyond the small world of scholars and reached the ranks of princely patrons. Princess Elisabeth, the exiled Princess Palatine in The Hague, educated and curious about philosophy, made contact with him and they maintained a regular correspondence, which forms a large volume of Letters. The Marquis of Newcastle, Queen Christina of Sweden did the same.” (Dictionnaire des auteurs).

Most of these Letters were written between 1637 and 1647.

From 1642 to 1649, during the period of his life from the Meditationes Metaphysicae to his death in Stockholm, Descartes exchanged a frequent correspondence with Princess Elisabeth, daughter of Frederick V, Elector Palatine and King of Bohemia. This highly cultivated woman, well versed in the mathematical sciences, had read the Meditationes Metaphysicae with great interest and lively admiration. Descartes discussed with her his own writings, recommended books to her, and debated physics, philosophy, and mathematics.

“Clerselier skillfully selected the letters for this volume: the public interested in questions of morality, even physics and medicine, found much to satisfy them; then the names of Queen Christina and Princess Elisabeth, both still living, that of Balzac, not to mention that English gentleman Mr. More, and that nobleman whose name was left unsaid, were sure to attract attention and to honor the philosopher who had corresponded with such great personages. The success of the book was assured, and two years later, when Clerselier published his second volume, he notes in the Preface that the first is already ‘entirely sold out’.” (Œuvres de Descartes, Adam and Tannery).

This correspondence is fascinating because Descartes explains and develops certain points set out in his works; it also represents one of the only documents that allows us to discover the thinker’s private life.

Manuscript ex-libris dated 1685 on the title page.