DESCARTES (René)

Lot 36
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DESCARTES (René)
Principia philosophiae. - Specimina philosophiae. Amsterdam, Louis Elzévier, 1644. Together 2 works in a large volume in-4, red morocco, double gilt fillet with small iron in the corners, in the center a rosette accompanied by motifs at the head and tail, all gilt with small irons, remains of ties, spine decorated with gilt fillets and a small iron repeated in the entrenerfs, gilt monogram at the tail, gilt edges and chased at the extremities (Binding of the time). First edition of the Principia philosophiae, and first Latin translation, under the title Specimina philosophiae, of the Discourse of the Method, the Dioptrics and the Meteors, published all three together in 1637. These two works constitute a sum of Cartesian philosophy and are often bound together as is the case here. An attractive copy in a charming 17th century morocco binding: strictly of the period, it is decorated on the boards with a rosette in small irons, a decorative element that can be found in contemporary binding decorations known as fan-shaped. It bears the engraved armorial bookplate of the Burnett of Kemnay family (19th century). A very interesting provenance: one of the most eminent members of this family was Thomas Burnett of Kemnay (1656-1729), a Scottish gentleman from Aberdeenshire whose name is not unfamiliar to historians of philosophy. Indeed, Kemnay was Leibniz's friend, with whom he exchanged many letters, and his precious correspondent in England: thanks to him, Leibniz was kept informed of the country's literary, political and religious affairs, but above all of John Locke's works and the debates in which he participated, the latter refusing at the time any exchange with the German philosopher (cf. Brown & Fox, Historical Dictionary of Leibniz's Philosophy, 2006, p. 39). The monogram at the bottom of the spine was affixed after the binding was decorated and covers the original small finial. It is formed by the letters STHY, which a handwritten note in pencil on one of the endpapers attributes to a descendant of Simon Tetu, collector of Maine under François I. Small stain at the foot of page 272; light wetness in the margin and bottom of a few leaves, mainly at the beginning and end of the volume. Small angular paper loss without seriousness on folio Zz4. Restoration to upper hinge and headpieces, small stains to spine. Upper spine a little chipped.
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