MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FRANCE, AND OF THIRD EDITION, REVISED. LONDON AND GLASGOW: RICHARD GRIFFIN AND COMPANY, PUBLISHERS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW. 1856. 1-18-87 ajm PREFACE. THE general preface to the first volume renders it unnecessary to add anything introductory to the second, except for the purpose of calling the reader's attention to the following circumstances :— 1. Beside the Letters of Voltaire, communicated by Mr. Stanford, and which were given in the former editions, there are some of his and one of Helvétius now inserted, which had been given in the French edition, having been kindly communicated by M. Feuillet, a gentleman of great respectability. 2. The family of La Beaumelle made strong representations against the manner in which he had been described, upon the authority of Voltaire's correspondence; and, after fully considering their statements, it appeared that in some material particulars an unjust account had been given, by Voltaire and his friends, of that person's history. Some change has therefore been made as to those particulars. 3. Of the judgment respecting Maupertuis's conduct no modification can be admitted. In that judgment there has long been an entire concurrence of all who have considered the facts. It appears that his merits as a mathematician had been rated somewhat below their just amount. 4. There are some valuable additions to the Life of Hume, from letters communicated by the gentleman above men |