Praeadamitae sive Exercitatio

[LA PEYRERE, Isaac]

Published by Elzevir, 1655

About this Item

[LA PEYRERE, Isaac] Praeadamitae sive Exercitatio super Versibusduodecimo, decimotertio & decimoquarto capitis quinti Epistolae D. Pauli ad Romanos. [And 2nd part] Systema Theologicum ex Prae-adamitarum Hypothesi. [And final section, called]: Synagogis Iudaeorum universis. [Elzevir] [Amsterdam], 1655. TP + 1 leaf = Elenchus Capitum + 1 52 + TP + 2 leaves = Prooemium + 4 leaves = Argumenta Capitum Systematis & errata + 1 297 + 1 8 + [1] leave with engraved map of the Terra Sanctae. 4to. First Edition.An anonymous Dutch edition of Philosophia appeared in 1667, and new Latin editions in 1673 and 1674. Evidence for the staying power of the work and the controversies which surrounded it is found in the fact that it underwent a fourth edition long after Meyer's death in 1776.Rare Quarto edition which preceded the 12mo of the same year.La Peyrere is considered to be the father of Biblical criticism. He asserted in Praeadamitae that there were human beings before Adam. His approach to Biblical scholarship argued that the Bible was just the story of the Jewish people, not all of humanity. His book and heretical views were quickly banned. La Peyrere was eventually arrested but offered a half-hearted renunciation of his views to escape punishment. La Peyrere went on to engage in polemics with Richard Simon, famous defender of the Bible. A rare and important book in the Radical Enlightenment identified as one of the "wicked" books of the late 17th century. ".the wicked sedition which commenced with La Peyrere s Prae-Adamitae, gained impetus with the utterly licentious, dissipated dictionary of Koerbagh , that shameless book the Philosophai S. Scripturae, and Hobbes Leviathan, and culminated in the Tractatus- Theologico-Politicus and Ethics of Spinoza" (Israel, 367).CONDITION: Very Good in slightly soiled contemporary vellum over boards. Contemporary handwriting on titlepage. Dampstaining in corner of first pages causing ruff edges. Small repair in corner title. Some slight dampstaining in corner map. First edition. Spinoza had a copy of this edition in his library. PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

Seller Inventory # 673

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Praeadamitae sive Exercitatio
• Publisher: Elzevir
• Publication Date: 1655
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Philosophy & Religions