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☙ Histoire Universelle - Tome II
1770 - Une Société de Gens de Lettres
The second volume of the Histoire Universelle translated from the English occupies a special place in this vast 44-volume encyclopaedic series. Published in 1770, it is devoted to three major civilisations of the ancient Near East: the Syrians, the Phoenicians and the Jews, from... ☞ Read more
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☙ Histoire Universelle - Tome II
✑ Une Société de Gens de Lettres
HISTOIRE UNIVERSELLE, DEPUIS LE COMMENCEMENT DU MONDE JUSQU'A PRESENT; TRADUITE DE L'ANGLOIS D'UNE SOCIÉTÉ DE GENS DE LETTRES. TOME SECOND, CONTENANT L'HISTOIRE DES ANCIENS SYRIENS, DES PHENICIENS, & DES JUIFS DEPUIS ABRAHAM JUSQU'A SAÜL. ENRICHIE DES FIGURES ET DES CARTES NECESSAIRES.
The second volume of the Histoire Universelle translated from the English occupies a special place in this vast 44-volume encyclopaedic series. Published in 1770, it is devoted to three major civilisations of the ancient Near East: the Syrians, the Phoenicians and the Jews, from the time of Abraham to the reign of Saul, first king of Israel. This thematic choice reflects the Enlightenment's deep interest in the origins of Semitic peoples and in biblical history considered as a legitimate historical source. This volume is further distinguished by the presence of figures and maps, explicitly mentioned on the title page, making it a particularly precious object. These cartographic illustrations allowed 18th-century readers to situate geographically the events described, at a time when historical cartography was still a novel pedagogical tool. The work is part of the tradition of great Enlightenment historical compilations, seeking to reconcile biblical sources, ancient accounts and scholarly criticism within a coherent and accessible narrative.
Why add it to your collection?
- A volume of exceptional thematic richness, covering the history of the Syrians, Phoenicians and Jews from Abraham to Saul — three civilisations foundational to Western culture united in a single work
- One of the rare volumes in the series to be enriched with figures and maps, considerably increasing its documentary value and visual appeal for the collector
- A fascinating testimony to how Enlightenment scholars approached biblical and Near Eastern history in light of ancient sources and the theological debates of their time
- Part of a 44-volume encyclopaedic set, one of the most ambitious historical syntheses ever published in Europe, of which complete copies have become exceedingly rare
- A fine 18th-century bibliophile object combining scholarly rigour and typographic quality, representative of the best of French Enlightenment publishing
Description
Context of the Series The Histoire Universelle is the expanded French version of the Universal History published in London from 1736 by a collective of British scholars. The French translation, enriched with numerous original developments, appeared in 44 volumes between 1742 and 1802 under the aegis of a society of men of letters. It constitutes one of the most ambitious intellectual enterprises of the Enlightenment, seeking to encompass the entirety of human history from the Creation to modern times.
Contents of Volume II This second volume is entirely devoted to the ancient Near East. It opens with the history of the ancient Syrians, a people whose role in the cultural and commercial exchanges of Antiquity is here recognised and developed with care. Next comes the history of the Phoenicians, navigators and merchants par excellence, inventors of the alphabet, whose civilisation fascinated 18th-century scholars. The greater part of the volume is devoted to the history of the Jews, from Abraham, the patriarchal founding figure, to Saul, first monarch of the unified kingdom of Israel. This narrative draws on biblical texts, Greek and Latin sources mentioning these peoples, and contemporary exegetical debates.
Figures and Maps One of the notable features of this volume is the presence of figures and maps announced on the title page. These iconographic elements, rare and fragile, are often missing from copies that have circulated and been rebound separately over the centuries. Their presence in a copy therefore constitutes a criterion of completeness and additional value. The maps allowed readers to visualise the territories of ancient Syria, Phoenicia and Palestine, while the figures illustrated certain monuments or figures mentioned in the text.
Bibliophilic and Historical Interest This volume is both a primary historical document on how the 18th century perceived ancient Oriental civilisations, and a fine collector's object. The careful typography, quality laid paper and page layout characteristic of French Enlightenment publishing make it a sought-after copy, whether to complete a series or to build a thematic collection around biblical history or scholarly Orientalism.
Mark it for later — it might just be waiting for you!
- Year
- ❧ 1770
- Century
- ❧ XVIII
- Author
- Une Société de Gens de Lettres
- Publisher
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- Arkstée et Merkus, Amsterdam & Leipzig
- Ref #
- SPJ-463
- Dimensions
- 105 mm • 205 mm • 35 mm
- Weight
- 480 gram
- Condition
- *** Good
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