1751 BLAISE PASCAL. Thoughts on Religion and Other Subjects. Descartes' Friend & Nemesis.

A superb mid-18th century Scottish edition of one of the most influential pietist texts of the 17th and 18th centuries. Blaise Pascal was early friends with another influential 17th century thinker, Rene Descartes [the "I think therefore I am guy"]. They were early on friends, as fellow mathematicians, but later stood on opposite ground. In many ways, Pascal's Thoughts are a direct response to Descartes' rationalism in general and his rational attempts to reach God. 

Pascal, contra Descartes, believed that god was rationally defensible, but not rationally evident. The heart, or the experience of God by the Spirit was the true persuasive. . . very much in the pietist tradition. Sort of an "I have experienced therefore therefore He is" response to Rene. 

A deeply experimental work, Pascal's Thoughts is a true Christian classic.

The present copy that of one of the distributors of the text, i.e. George Hamilton of Edinburgh. 

Original distributor's own copy. 

Pascal, Monsieur Blaise. Thoughts on Religion, and Other Subjects. Edinburgh. Printed by R. Fleming for W. Gray Junior, and Sold by G. Hamilton and J. Balfour, J. Brown and G. Crawfurd in Edinburgh; J. Barry and J. Gilmour in Glasgow; T. Glass in Dundee, and R. Morrison in Perth. 1751. 194 + Contents [2pp] + Catalogue [2pp]. 

Very attractive in original full calf, raised bands, handsomely patinated. Stain on ffep, ffep clipped at base; remainder of text good and clean with light foxing; a bit handled. A very attractive period copy of a true spiritual classic.