Voltaire / Antoine Guenée - Lettres de quelques juifs portugais, Allemands et Polonois A M. De Voltaire - 1756

Voltaire - [Antoine Guenée]: Lettres de quelques juifs portugais, Allemands et Polonois A M. De Voltaire; Avec un petit Commentaire extrait d'un plus grand. A Paris, chez Moutard, Libraire de la Reine, de Madame & de Madame la Comtesse d'Artois, 1756. Fourth edition, in part original, published for the first time in 1769 in one volume. Expanded response to Voltaire's antisemitism, containing, among others, texts borrowed from Isaac Pinto. The author, Abbé Guénée, was sous-gouverneur of Count d'Artois' children.
xxvij (1) 424pp. and (4) 476pp. and (8) 444pp.; 18x11cm. Weight: 1.5 kg.
Two volumes were added for this edition. Bound in period blond full tree sheep binding, adored spine with five raised bands, gold fillets on the cover edges, all edges red. Red morocco title and volume number labels.
Friction, signs of wear (insignificant) on the corners (blunt, lightly compacted) and borders, signs of wear on the head and tail (nothing serious), lightly cracked joints (inconsequential); Inside: marbled endpapers, satisfactory leaves.
The book is an attack and critical commentary on Voltaire's Traité sur la Tolérance. The work was well received, both by its critics (Voltaire, d'Alembert) and the public. The author demonstrates, not only with a well-founded and erudite argument, but also without pedantry and always with impartiality, which Voltaire himself lauded. The Lettres are not a defence of the church, but of religion. As for style, Abbé Guenée established a dialogue with Voltaire, and his words are clear, demonstrative, and in no way sententious.
A very lovely copy that has withstood the test of time.