Gravesande (Willem Jacob 's) Mathematical Elements of Natural Philosophy confirmed by Experiments, or an introduction to Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy, translated by J.T. Desaguliers, 2 vol., second edition, titles in red and black, 58 folding engraved plates, 5pp. advertisements at end of vol.1, without errata f. in vol.2, a couple of plates chipped at outer margins, occasional spotting, for J. Senex and W. Taylor, 1721 § Voltaire (François Marie Arouet de) Elémens de la Philosophie de Neuton, Mis à la portée de tout le monde, first edition, first issue (with the Ledet imprint), half-title (bound after portrait), engraved frontispiece and portrait by Folkema, title in red and black with engraved vignette by Duflos after Debrie, 6 engraved plates and a folding engraved table, engraved illustrations and numerous charming engraved head- and tail-piece vignettes by Folkema and others, occasional spotting, [Babson 120; Norman 2165; Wallis 155; cf.Cohen-De Ricci 1037-38, second issue], Amsterdam, Etienne Ledet & Cie, 1738, together 3 vol., uniformly bound in 20th century half red morocco, gilt, spine in compartments, 8vo (3)
⁂ The first edition of Voltaire's popularisation of Newton's scientific and philosophical ideas. Voltaire had lived in England from 1725 to 1728 while in exile and had become an admirer of Newton and his philosophy. The work is dedicated to the Marquise du Chatelet, who helped Voltaire with the project and was responsible the French edition of the Principia. 'Voltaire's Eleméns presented Newton as the discoverer of the true system of the world and the destroyer of the errors of Cartesianism.... [He] committed himself entirely to the propagation of Newtonianism, which he had first encountered during his exile in England from 1725-1728; to Voltaire, Newton's empiricism, experimental method and avoidance of dogma symbolized the Enlightenment's victorious assault on Christian theory and metaphysics' (Norman).