Montaigne's Essays in Three Books. With Notes and Quotations., Michel de Montaigne (Translated by Charles Cotton) — Sixth Edition Corrected and Amended

Montaigne's Essays in Three Books. With Notes and Quotations., Michel de Montaigne (Translated by Charles Cotton) — Sixth Edition Corrected and Amended

Publication: London, Printed for B. and B. Barker, G. Strahan, S. Ballard (et al.), 1743

Formatting: 8vo, 3 vols.

Condition Report: Fair. The set presents nicely on the shelf in its contemporary full calf bindings, with the double-gilt borders and corner fleurons retaining a handsome, albeit somewhat dulled, antiquarian character. The leather is rubbed and scuffed across the boards, with bumping and minor loss to the extremities, particularly at the spine ends and corners. The spines remain highly attractive, boasting raised bands and contrasting red and dark morocco labels, though they exhibit expected chipping, superficial cracking, and some loss of patina. The text blocks are tight and secure, showing red-dyed fore-edges. Internally, the pages are subject to moderate toning, scattered foxing, and occasional age-stains, consistent with mid-eighteenth-century paper stock. Most notably, the set lacks the title page to Volume I, a significant absence. Volumes II and III retain their respective title pages in good order.

Catalogue Note: This 1743 publication represents the "Sixth Edition Corrected and Amended" of Charles Cotton's celebrated English translation of Montaigne. First issued in 1685, Cotton's rendering of the quintessential French philosopher became the standard English text for generations, celebrated for its robust, colloquial vigour which closely mirrors Montaigne's own conversational style.

The title pages of Volumes II and III bear the neat, early nineteenth-century ownership signature of 'John Cobley, June 20th 1828', adding a pleasing touch of provenance. Sets of Cotton's translation in their contemporary bindings remain highly desirable on the open market, though complete copies command a significant premium; the unfortunate absence of the first volume's title page here offers a more accessible acquisition for the reader or starting collector of early Enlightenment texts.

Michel de Montaigne’s Essays stand as a monument of Renaissance humanism, pioneering the essay as a literary form. Blending philosophical inquiry, deeply personal anecdote, and classical wisdom, Montaigne explores the human condition with radical honesty and disarming wit. Translated by the poet Charles Cotton in the late seventeenth century, this vibrant English rendering captures the spirit of the original French, securing its place as an enduring classic of world literature.