‎SALE, GEORGE.‎
‎Observations historiques et critiques sur le Mahometisme.‎

‎Genève, chez Barrillot & fils, 1751. 8vo. In contemporary full calf with five raised bands and gilt lettering and ornamentation to spine. Binding with some wear. Ex-libris pasted on to verso of front board. Map with a few nicks and tears in margin. Light occassional brownspotting throughout, otherwise a fine and clean copy. (2), 510 pp. + 4 folded plates (including the folded map).‎

Reference : 60227

‎Rare first separately published edition of Sale’s important introduction to his English 1734-translation of the Koran, originally being published as ‘Preliminary Discourse’, but here in the seperate publication translated into French. Though he did not place Islam at an equal level with Christianity, Sale seemed to view Mohammad as a conqueror who sought to destroy idolatry and a lawgiver who managed to change and supplant many practices in Arabia:“George Sale (1697-1736), the first translator of the Qur’an from Arabic to English and the author of the influential ‘preliminary discourse’ (1734), is regularly given credit for facilitating a balanced approached to Islam among the educated European public” (Lange, Follow the Light).‎