Early French texts

Antoine Arnaud (1612-1694)

La logique, ou l’art de penser. Digitized by Google Books. Nouvelle éd. Published in Paris by Despilly, 1683. (Originally published in 1662.)

Dissertation de M. Arnaud, Docteur de Sorbonne, sur la manière dont Dieu a fait les fréquens miracles de l’ancienne Loy par le ministère des Anges. Digitized by Google Books. Published by Nicolas Schouten in Cologne, 1682.

Des vrayes et des fausses idées contre ce qu’enseigne l’auteur de La Recherche de la Vérité Digitized by Google Books. Published in Cologne by Nicolas Schouten, 1683.

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Nicholas de Malebranche (1638-1715)

Traité de l’infini créé, avec l’explication de la possibilité de la transsubstantiation. Traité de la confession et de la communion. Digitized by Gallica. This edition published by M.M. Rey in Amsterdam, 1769.

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Pierre Bayle (1647-1706)

1680. Pensées diverses, écrites à un docteur de Sorbonne, À l’ocassion de la comète qui parut au mois de Décembre 1680. Tome I. Tome II. Digitized by Gallica. Published in Rotterdam by Reinier Leers, 1683 (2nd ed.)

1682. Critique générale de l’histoire du calvinisme de Mr. Maimbourg. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Ville-Franche by Pierre le Blanc, 1682. [The original text by Maimbourg]

1684-1687. Editor of Nouvelles de la république des lettres. (Journal of literary criticism)

1686-1688. Commentaire philosophique sur ces paroles de Jésus-Christ. Tome I. Tome II. Tome III. Supplément. Digitized by Gallica. Published in Cantorbery and Hambourg by Thomas Litwell from 1686 – 1688.

1690. Avis important aux :refugiez sur leur prochain retour en France.

1692. Projet et fragmens d’un dictionaire critique. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Rotterdam by Reinier Leers, 1692.

1697. Dictionnaire historique et critique. Tomes I & II. Digitized by Gallica. Published in 1697 by Reinier Leers in Amsterdam.

See also individual volumes of an 1820 edition: Dictionnaire historique et critique. Tome premier (Aaron-Amphitryon). Tome second (Anabaptistes-Azote). Tome troisième (Babelot-Borste). Tome quatrième (Bosc-Caussin). Tome cinquième (Céa-Doriéus). Tome sixième (Drabicius-Furius). Tome septième (Gabriel-Hemmingius). Tome huitième (Hénault-Kuhlman). Tome neuvième (Labé-Luxembourg). Tome dixième (Maccius-Multiu). Tome onzième (Nannius-Pézélius). Tome douzième (Phaon-Rutilie). Tome treizième (Sabellicus-Sutlivius). Tome quatorzième (Tabor-Xylande). Tome quinzième (Zabarella-Zuérius). Tome seizième –Préfaces des éditions précédentes, vie de Bayle et table des matière. Digitized by Google Books and Gallica. This 1820 edition was published in Paris by Desoer.

1704-1706. Réponse aux questions d’un provincial. Tome premier [1704]. Tome second [1706]. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Rotterdam by Reinier Leers, 1704 & 1706.

1705. Continuation des pensées de diverses. Tome premier. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Rotterdam by Reinier Leers, 1705.

1707. Entretiens de Maxime et de Themiste, ou Réponse à ce que M. Le Clerc a écrit dans son X Tome de la Bibliothèque Choisie contre Mr. Bayle. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Rotterdam by Reinier Leers, 1707.

1708. Miscellaneous reflections, ocassion’d by the comet which appear’d in December 1680, chiefly intending to explode popular superstitions. Translated from the French. To which is added, The author’s life. In two volumes. Digitized by Google Books. Printed in London by J. Morphew, 1708. Volume 1. Volume 2.

1714. Lettres choisies de Mr. Bayle, avec des remarques. Tome premier. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Rotterdam by Fritsch et Böhm, 1714.

1715. Nouvelles lettres de Mr. Bayle, au sujet de sa critique générale de l’histoire du Calvanisme de Mr. Maimbourg … Tom. 1. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Amsterdam by David Mortier, 1715.

1721. Pensées diverses. Tome premier. Tome second. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Rotterdam by Les Héritiers de Reinier Leers, 1721.

Date? Continuation des Pensées diverses écrites écrites à un docteur de Sorbonne, à l’occasion de la Comete qui a parut au mois de Decembre 1680. Tome second. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Amsterdam by Herman Uytwerf, 1722.

Date? Continuation des Pensées diverses écrites écrites à un docteur de Sorbonne, à l’occasion de la Comete qui a parut au mois de Decembre 1680. Tome quatrième. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Rotterdam by Les Heritiers de Reinier Léers, 1721.

1737. Oeuvres diverses de M. Pierre Bayle. Digitized by Gallica. Tome 1. Tome 2. Tome 3. Tome 4. Tome 5. Published in the Hague by Compagnie des libraires, 1737.

1739. Nouvelles lettres de Mr. P. Bayle. Tome premier. Digitized by google books. Published in the Hague by Jean Van Duren, 1739.

See also the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy page on Pierre Bayle.

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François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon (commonly known as François Fénelon, 1651-1715)

Les aventures de Télémaque, fils d’Ulysse, Tome I, Tome II. Digitized by Gallica. Published in Venice by G. Zerletti in 1768. (originally written in Latin and published in 1699). In Rousseau’s Émile, Telemachus is the only book that Émile is encouraged to read upon reaching adulthood.

Le discours de réception à l’Académie française (written shortly before Fénelon’s death in 1715) was published the year after his death. It is regarded as a culmination of Fénelon’s thinking, and is considered one of the most important early Enlightenment texts dealing with the dichotomy between the ancients and the moderns.

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Henri de Boulainvilliers (1658-1722)

1727. Mémoires présentés à Monseigneur le duc d’Orléans, régent de France. T. 1, T. 2. Digitized by Gallica. Published in the Hague and Amsterdam, 1727.

1727. Histoire de l’ancien gouvernement de la France. Tome 1. Digitized by Google Books. Published in the Hague and Amsterdam, 1727.

1730. La vie de Mohamed. Digitized by Gallica. Published in London by P. Humbert, 1730.

1731. Histoire des arabes. Tome premier. Digitized by Gallica. Published in Amsterdam by Pierre humbert, 1731.

1732. Essai sur la noblesse de France, contenans une dissertation sur son origine & abaissement. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Amsterdam, 1732.

1737. État de la France. Tome premier,[1737] Tome deuxième,[1752] Tome quatrième,[1737]. Digitized by Google Books [note that the metadata for this volume is incorrect. This is the 4th volume, not volume 3.] Published in London by T. Wood & S. Palmer, 1737.

1737. Histoire des anciens parlements de France. Digitized by Google Books. Published in London by Jean Brindley, 1737.

1753. Lettres sur les anciens parlements de France, que l’on nomme États-Généraux. Tome premier. Digitized by Google Books. Published in London by T. Wood & S. Palmer, 1753.

Date? Doutes sur la religion. Suivies [sic] de L’Analyse du “Traité théologi-politique” de Spinosa ([Reprod.]). Digitized by Gallica. Published in London, 1767.

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Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle (1657-1757)

One of the earliest figures of the French Enlightenment, Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle straddled the 17th and 18th centuries. His thinking was a product and reflection of both centuries. A nice overview article at l’Encylcopédie de l’Agora here.

Some links to Fontenelle’s texts can be found in Gallica, such as:

1680. Bellérophon, tragédie en musique, ornée d’entrées de ballet, de machines et de changements de théâtre, représentée devant Sa Majesté, à Saint-Germain-en-Laye, le 3e de janvier 1680. Digitized by Gallica. Published in Paris by C. Ballard, 1680.

ca. 1682. La république des philosophes ou histoire des Ajaoiens. Jonathan Israel writes of this book, “the strange name is parody of Huet’s term ‘Jao,’ in Demonstratio Evangelia, as an abbreviation for ‘Jehovan.’ ‘Ajaoiens’ therefore signifies non-believers in Jehovah. (Radical Enlightenment, 592) The book was not published until after de Fontenelle was already dead, and even in 1768 was clandestinely printed in Holland. Digitized by Google Books. This edition published in Geneva, 1768.

1683. Nouveaux dialogues des morts. Digitized by Google Books. Tome I (nouvelle éd., published in Lyon by Thomas Amaulry, 1683), Tome II (published in Bouillon by l’Imprimerie de la Société Typographique, 1777), Tome III – have not located a digital copy yet. Tomes I and II digitized by Google Books. Published in Oeuvres diverses de M. de Fontenelle de l’Académie française. Published in the Hague by P. Gosse & J. Neaulme, 1727.

Read a review of Nouveaux dialogues de morts published in Le journal des sçavans combiné avec les mémoires de Trévoux, Mai 1756, Tome XIX, Vol. I.

1685. Lettres galantes du Chevalier d’Her***. Digitized by Google Books. “Nouvelle Edition augmentée” published in London by Paul & Isaak Vaillant, 1713. This edition is in one volume only as compared to the earlier editions and printings which contained more letters and were published in two volumes. However in this edition, the publishers have made an attempt to weed out the letters which they considered “moins agréables.”

1686. Relation de l’isle de Bornéo. Digitized by Gallica. Authorship is uncertain; de Fontenelle is mentioned in the preface as a translator rather than an author. But other sources have presumed that de Fontenelle is the author or at least a contributor. Published in 1807 by G. Peignot in Europe.

1686. Entretiens sur la pluralité des mondes. Digitized by Google Books. This edition is part of Oeuvres diverses de M. de Fontenelle. Published in Amsterdam by Pierre Mortier, 1701. Nouvelle édition, augmentée. The English translation of this work, A plurality of worlds, was originally translated and published in Dublin in 1687. This digitized edition was published by R.W. in London, 1702; translated by Glanvill. Digitized by Google Books. A week’s conversations on the plurality of worlds appears to be a ninth edition of this work, published in Edinburgh by John Orphoot in 1809. Digitized by Google Books.

1687. Histoire des Oracles. According to Jonathan Israel, this is an early landmark Enlightenment text (Radical Enlightenment, 361). Fontenelle declares in the preface that he borrowed everything for this book from De Oraculis Ethnicorum (Amsterdam, 1683) by the Haarlem physician Anthonii van Dale. Fontenelle’s translation from the Latin ensured that van Dale’s work would enjoy a wider circulation. [Read the original work by van Dale.] Digitized by Google Books. This edition published in Paris by Michel Brunet, 1707. According to Voltaire, he was persecuted for this work.

1686. Digression sur les anciens et les modernes. Digitized by Google Books. Included in Poésies pastorales. Nouvelle Edition augmentée, published in Amsterdam by Pierre Mortier, 1701.

1688? Doutes sur le systeme physique des causes occasionnelles. Digitized by Google Books. Part of Oeuvres de Fontenelle, Tome III. Published in Paris by Salmon, 1825.

1689. Thétis et Pélée, tragédie. Représentée pour la première fois, par l’Académie royale de musique, le [11 janvier] 1689 et remise au théâtre avec des changements le 16 avril 1708. [Paroles de Fontenelle, musique de Colasse.] Digitized by Gallica. Published in 1708 by C. Ballard in Paris.

1690. Énée et Lavinie : tragédie. Représentée pour la première fois par l’Académie royale de Musique, 1690.

1699. Histoire du renouvellement de l’Académie royale des sciences en 1699, et les éloges historiques de tous les académiciens morts depuis ce renouvellement, avec un discours préliminaire sur l’utilité des mathématiques et de la physique. Tome I. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Paris by Vve. J. Boudot, 1708.

In 1697, Fontenelle became perpetual secretary to the Académie Royale des Sciences. In the section “Au lecteur,” the publisher mentions that since the renewal of the Royal Academy of Science in 1699, it has been offering an annual volume called “Histoire.” In this volume is contained “Préface sur l’utilité des Mathématiques & de la Physique ; & sur les travaux de l’Académie des Sciences” (p. 1), “Histoire du renouvellement de l’Académie Royale des Sciences en 1699” (p. 27), “Éloge de M. Bourdelin,” (p. 51), “Éloge de M. Tauvry,” (p. 54), “Éloge de M. Tuillier,” (p. 57), “Éloge de M. Viviani,” (p. 61), “Éloge de M. le Marquis de l’Hopital,” (p. 87), “Éloge de M. Bernoulli,” (p. 112), “Éloge de M. Amontons,” (p. 138) “Éloge de M. Du Hamel,” (p. 148,) “Éloge de M. Régis,” (p. 177), “Éloge de M. le Maréchal de Vauban,” (p. 197), “Éloge de M. l’Abbé Gallois,” (p. 221), “Éloge de M. Dodart,” (p. 234). Tome II. Tome III (Published in Paris by Michel Brunet, 1722). Contains “Éloge de M. Leibnitz,” (p. 1), “Éloge de M. Ozanam,” (p. 96), “Éloge de M. de la Hire,” (p. 159), “Éloge de M. l’Abbé de Louvois,” (p. 178), “Éloge de M. Rolle,” (p. 217), “Éloge de M. Renau,” (p. 235), “Éloge de M. le Marquis de Dangeau,” (p. 286), “Éloge de M. des Billettes,” (p. 305.)

Éloge de M. Neuton. Digitized by Gallica. Publication unverified.

Entretiens sur la pluralité des mondes. Digitized by Gallica. Published in Paris by M. Brunet, 1724 (7th ed.)

This illustration from a 1686 edition of Entretiens reveals ‘le système du monde’ such as it was.

1727. Eléments de la géométrie de l’infini. Digitized by Gallica. Published by the Impremerie Royale in Paris, 1727.

1731. Endymion. Pastorale héroïque représentée pour la première fois par l’Académie royale de musique le jeudy dix sept may 1731. Digitized by Gallica. Published in Paris by J. B. C. Ballard, 1731.

1731. Éloges des Academiciens de l’Academie Royale des Sciences par M. de Fontenelle, Secrétaire Perpetuel, Tome II. Published in the Hague by Isaac Van der Kloot, 1731. Digitized by Google Books.

1752. Théorie des tourbillons cartésiens. Digitized by Gallica. Published in Paris by Hippolyte-Louis Guerin, 1752.

Oeuvres de Fontenelle. Comprenant: Théorie des tourbillons cartésiens. Doutes sur le système physique des causes occasionnelles. Entretiens sur la pluralité des mondes. Histoire des oracles. Dialogues des morts. Published in Paris by Salmon, 1825.

Choix d’éloges français les plus estimés, contenant: Éloges de Newton, de Tournefort, de Vauban, de Leibnitz, de D’Argenson, et du Czar Pierre. Digitized by Gallica. Published in Paris by D’Hautel in 1812.

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Responses to de Fontenelle’s works

Réponse à l’Histoire des Oracles, de Mr. de Fontenelle de l’Académie françoise. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Strasbourg by Jean Regnauld Doulssecker, 1707.

Suite de la Réponse à l’Histoire des Oracles. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Strasbourg by Jean Renauld Doulssecker, 1708.

Suite de la Réponse à l’Histoire des Oracles. Digitized by Google Books. Published in Amsterdam by Pierre Humbert, 1709.

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Charles-Louis de Secondat Montesquieu (1689-1755)

1721. Lettres persanes. (Link includes the entire document, 2 tomes and supplement, note the pagination). Digitized by Gallica. Published in Cologne by Pierre Marteau, 1754. The preface indicates that the author does not want to be recognized. He writes, “Je connois une femme qui marche assez bien, mais qui boîte dès qu’on la regarde.” Interesting that the publisher identifies itself as being “près des Jésuites.” Is that in location, or spirit, or both?

17__. L’Esprit des lois. Published in Oeuvres de M. de Montesquieu. [Tome 1] Digitized by Gallica. Published in London by Nourse, 1767.

17__. L’Esprit des lois. Published in Oeuvres de M. de Montesquieu. [Tome 2] Digitized by Gallica. Published in London by Nourse, 1767.

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Responses to Montesquieu’s work

Observations sur l’Esprit des loix, ou L’art de lire ce livre, de l’entendre et d’en juger. [suivies de l’] Apologie de l’Esprit des loix, ou Réponses aux observations de M. de L*.P** (Joseph de la Porte). A type of reading guide on Montesquieu’s L’Esprit des lois. Digitized by Gallica. Published by Pierre Mortier in Amsterdam, 1751.

Coup d’oeil sur les ouvrages modernes, ou Réponses aux observations sur la littérature de M. L. D. L. P., par M… D. M…(Charles Palissot de Montenoy). A response to Joseph de la Porte’s response to Montesquieu. Published in Paris, 1751.

Naudé, Gabriel (1600-1653)

Although not a philosopher per se, this librarian of Mazarin’s library (one of the largest and most impressive libraries in early 18th century France) published a treatise on the concept of a universal, post-confessional library collection. The collections of such libraries would include the widest range of texts regarding religions, philosophies, sciences and every branch of knowledge.

1627. Advis pour dresser une bibliothèque présenté à Mgr. le président de Mesme. Published by F. Targa in Paris. There is also an 1876 edition that is easier to read, published by Liseux in Paris.

On the subject of Mazarin’s library, see also:

Patrick Latour, « Entre Humanisme et Lumières : la bibliothèque du collège Mazarin et ses fonds scientifiques au début du XVIII^e siècle », Recherches sur Diderot et sur l’Encyclopédie, numéro 38 La formation de D’Alembert, [En ligne], mis en ligne le 25 mars 2009. URL : http://rde.revues.org/index295.html.

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Étienne Bonnot de Condillac (1714-1780)

For background information on de Condillac, see L. Falkenstein’s article in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

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François-Vincent Toussaint (1715-1772)

1748. Les Moeurs. Digitized by Google Books. New edition, review and corrected. Published in Oxford by Isaac Verderlick, 1795.

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Jean-Martin de Prades (Abbé de Prades) (1720-1782)

1752. Apologie de Monsieur l’Abbé de Prades. Digitized by Google Books. After successfully defending his thesis for a licentiate in theology at the Sorbonne, de Prades was forced to leave France on the charge of heresy. His examiners had not noticed that de Prades seemed to take his text from the “Discours Préliminaire” of Diderot’s Encyclopédie. Published in Amsterdam, 1752.