[Rarebooks] FS: First Edition in English of PASCAL's PENSEES, 1688

[Charles Agvent]

PASCAL, Blaise.  MONSIEUR PASCALL'S THOUGHTS, MEDITATIONS, AND PRAYERS, TOUCHING 
MATTERS MORAL AND DIVINE, AS THEY WERE FOUND IN HIS PAPERS...
Jacob Tonson London 1688.  The First Edition in English of Pascal's classic Les 
Pensees(1665).  Octavo, bound in early calf neatly rebacked at a later date in a 
slightly lighter shade of leather.  Complete with front and rear blanks: [42], 
375, [1] pages.  The French mathematician and theologian, who invented the first 
digital calculator, wrestled with the inability of reason to understand God. 
His work with Fermat on the nature of probability presaged the development of 
modern decision theory, on the basis of which he argued that belief in God, 
although not rational, is a good bet: "Le coeur a ses raisons que le raison ne 
connait point" (The heart has its reasons that reason does not know at all). 
Pascal died painfully at the age of 39 from what was likely cancer.  Near Fine, 
complete copy of this classic.   $3500.00
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