MACHIAVEL, NICOLASWorks. New edition increased with the Anti-Machiavel & other pieces. The Hague, at the expense of the Company, 1743. 6 volumes in-12 (158 x 96 mm) of 2 ff.n.c., XVI, 591 pp. for volume I; 2 ff.n.c., 429 pp. for volume II; 2 ff.n.c., XXII pp., 1 f.n.c., 374 pp. 8 folding tables (of which 7 typographical and 1 engraved) for volume III ; 2 ff.n.c., XXXII, 446 pp. for volume IV ; 2 ff.n.c., 480 pp. for volume V ; 2 ff.n.c., LX, 485 pp. for volume VI. Ivory vellum, smooth spine with gilt title, red edges (period binding). First edition of the Works of Machiavelli containing the Anti-Machiavelli of Frederick the Great in the version edited by Voltaire."The history of the publication of the Anti-Machiavelli is, of course, fascinating. the nub of the matter being the coincidence of Frederick's ascending the throne when publication of his work, maintaining that rulers should govern according to the principles of private morality rather than what we would now call realpolitik, was embarrassingly imminent. As far as content is concerned, Voltaire made some modifications, but not many. [He] eliminated those elements that might jeopardize the international standing of a new (and young) European potentate. These changes involved in particular the elimination of over-dismissive judgements of reigningEuropean heads of state and vigorous anti-clerical or even antireligious statements. He ruthlessly excised every pleonasm, every redundant (according to classical tenets) image, every tendency to lengthy rhetoric, and every expression of general ideological principles (with which Frederick tended to introduce each chapter of his commentary). As a consequence, Frederick's text was reduced by one third, which, coincidentally, represents the proportion of notes to text for the Anti-Machiavel, so that (since the Refutation is not annotated) the two texts are of almost identical length" (RichardWaller, The Modern Language Review, Vol. 94, No. 3, 1999, p. 828).Very good copy.Oeuvres. Nouvelle édition augmentée de l'Anti-Machiavel & d'autres pièces. La Haye, aux dépens de la Compagnie, 1743. 6 volumes in-12 (158 x 96 mm) de 2 ff.n.ch., XVI, 591 pp. pour le volume I ; 2 ff.n.ch., 429 pp. pour le volume II ; 2 ff.n.ch., XXII pp., 1 f.n.ch., 374 pp. 8 tableaux dépliants (dont 7 typographiques et 1 gravé) pour le volume III ; 2 ff.n.ch., XXXII, 446 pp. pour le volume IV ; 2 ff.n.ch., 480 pp. pour le volume V ; 2 ff.n.ch., LX, 485 pp. pour le volume VI. Vélin ivoire, dos lisse orné du titre doré, tranches rouges (reliure de l' époque).Première édition des Oeuvres de Machiavel contenant l'Anti-Machiavel de Frédéric le Grand dans la version éditée par Voltaire.“The history of the publication of the Anti-Machiavel is, of course, fascinating. the nub of the matter being the coincidence of Frederick's ascending the throne when publication of his work, maintaining that rulers should govern according to the principles of private morality rather than what we would now call realpolitik, was embarrassingly imminent. As far as content is concerned, Voltaire made some modifications, but not many. [He] eliminated those elements that might jeopardize the international standing of a new (and young) European potentate. These changes involved in particular the elimination of over-dismissive judgements of reigningEuropean heads of state and vigorous anti-clerical or even antireligious statements. He ruthlessly excised every pleonasm, every redundant (according to classical tenets) image, every tendency to lengthy rhetoric, and every expression of general ideological principles (with which Frederick tended to introduce each chapter of his commentary). As a consequence, Frederick's text was reduced by one third, which, coincidentally, represents the proportion of notes to text for the Anti-Machiavel, so that (since the Refutation is not annotated) the two texts are of almost identical length” (RichardWaller, The Modern Language Review, Vol. 94, no 3, 1999, p. 828). Très bon exemplaire. Artist or Maker MACHIAVEL, NICOLAS Notes 77-livres anciens et modernes;203-Livres & Manuscrits