DESCARTES René Lettres où sont traitées les plus belles question de la morale, de la physique, de la médecine, & des mathématiques.- Où sont expliquées plusieurs belles difficultéz touchant ses autres ouvrages.- Où il répond à plusieurs difficultez qui lui ont esté proposées sur la Dioptrique, la géométrie & sur plusieurs autres sujets.

Guibert, 83:7

First complete edition of the Lettres (volume I in 3rd issue with some pagination errors corrected; volume II in 2nd issue with the addition of ‘Tome Second’ on the title; volume III in first edition) as described by Guibert.

This first complete edition brings together a large number of letters, most of them scientific (and sometimes with replies), notably to Morin and Mersenne. Some of the letters deal with questions of geometry, optics or medicine and are illustrated with engravings or diagrams.

[Together with, in identical binding:]

DESCARTES, René. L’Homme et un traité de la formation du foetus. Avec les remarques de Louis de La Forge. Paris, Jacques le Gras, 1664. 4to, 35 nn.l, 448 pp., 4 nn.l.

Guibert, 198:3.

First French edition.

Decorated with woodcuts “imaginées par Descartes” (Guibert).

Provenance

A copy bearing the arms of Jeanne Guyon (1676-1736) and Louis Nicolas Fouquet (1653-1707), viscount of Vaux, son of the famous magistrate and businessman Nicolas Fouquet (1615-1680).

Other provenance: La Hamonais (bookplate) 

Pleasant copy despite small stains on the binding and a few passages underlined in pencil.