De La Félicité Publique.
Amsterdam, M.-M. Rey 1772.
Two volumes in one. 8vo (200 x 124 mm.). VIII, XVIII, 238 [r. 240]p. and [iv], 216p.
Contemporary brown calf-backed pastepaper over boards (worn, front hinge and spine defective), gilt-lettered spine title, red edges.
Three sets of this First Edition of Chastellux’s (1734-88) seminal treatise on public welfare survive containing the annotations of the French Enlightenment philosopher, novelist, historian and satirist, Voltaire (1694-1778). In the set presented to him by the author, Voltaire (1694-1778) added his thoughts in his own hand. His secretary, librarian and later executor, J.-L. Wagnière (1739-1802), transcribed Voltaire’s notes into a second set, altering some words and omitting many “silent notes” — underlining, marginal highlighting, etc.
OUR THIRD SET WAS PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN. AN ANONYMOUS CONTEMPORARY TRANSCRIBED THE ANNOTATIONS DIRECTLY FROM VOLTAIRE’S OWN SET, COPYING MOST OF HIS WORDS UNALTERED AS WELL AS MANY OF HIS READER’S MARKS.
FOUR NOTES UNIQUE TO OUR SET may preserve Voltaire’s notes written on now lost slips of paper he laid in his book, an annotation method he frequently employed (I: 83, II: 76 (two notes) & II: 79). Our set has a distinctive scribal error. The copyist mistakenly penned a passage on the wrong page, then pasted blank paper over his error (II: 184), then rewrote the text where it belonged (II: 186).
After receiving his set of On Public Happiness as a gift from Chastellux, VOLTAIRE PROMPTLY REPLIED: “I FILLED MY COPY WITH NOTES…THIS IS SOMETHING I DO ONLY WHEN THE BOOK DELIGHTS AND INSTRUCTS ME” (Letter 7.XII.1772, tr.). Chastellux’s work “enjoyed a special status for Voltaire, whose annotations…were a genuine expression of his admiration” (Cronk). Indeed, during the purchase of Voltaire’s library by Catherine the Great in August 1778, his annotated presentation set of Chastellux figured in the negotiations.
Prior to the transfer of Voltaire’s library to St. Petersburg in July 1779, Wagnière kept the original set for himself and sent the set with his transcription to Russia (now St. Petersburg, National Library of Russia BV 5-11).
The Voltaire-Wagnière set passed to Count Grigoriy Vladimirovitch Orlov (1777-1826; now Moscow, State Historical Museum f. 166. 76185/2567). Orlov loaned the volumes to Renouard for a new edition of On Public Happiness, which captured many of Voltaire’s manuscript notes as footnotes but none of the “silent” notes.
In good condition (three quires browned), slightly later pencil signature De Louis Saugere, half-title inscription N.B. Les notes manuscrits en marginales sont de Mr. de Voltaire (pasted-over with blank paper), purchase note of 10 francs on 11.X.1811.
¶Cronk, “Voltaire’s Marginalia: Who is the Intended Readership?” in Revue Voltaire 7 (2007) 137-54; Corpus des notes marginales de Voltaire II: 343; I.N.E.D., Économie et population. Les doctrines françaises avant 1075; Cioranescu 17009; see Bengesco’s Voltaire: Bibliographie 1919.
Price: $17,500.00