A philosophical dictionary; from the French of m. de Voltaire. With additional notes, both critical and argumentative by Abner Kneeland. American stereotype edition
Boston: J.P. Mendum, [1836?]. Hardcover. Two volumes bound as one [xlviii, 408, 416p. + ads for the Boston Investigator and related publications], frontispieces (vol. 1 portrait of Voltaire, vol. 2, family portrait). Original publisher's ribbed black cloth panelled and ruled in blind, spine title gilt (quite bright), boards are edgeworn and show card, top and tail are frayed with small losses, hinges slightly weak, one signature starting a little, front free endpaper has been excised with an old ugly adhesive remnant opposite on the pastedown. Handleable and otherwise sound. Later stereotype edition, copyright is noted to be held by John Quincy Adams, who also published this in 1836.
Kneeland, an intimate with Robert Dale Owen and Frances Wright was a frequent contributor to their Free Enquirer. In 1831 he moved to Boston and established The Boston Investigator, one of the longest lived (1831-1904) freethought publications in the United States (See Brown & Stein p. 33); he was tried four times and eventually convicted for his writings in the Dec. 20, 1833 issue.
Cat.No: 142105
Price: $350.00