De Tribus Impostoribus, A. D. 1230: The Three Impostors / Translated (with notes and comments) from a French manuscript of the work written in the year 1716, with a dissertation on the original treatise and a bibliography of the various editions

by Unknown

CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY.

In the library of Cornell University, at Ithaca, N. Y., is a large collection of Spinoza manuscripts and printed books by the same author. The collection was left to the library, and is known as the “Strauss Collection.” In the collection is a manuscript copy of “La vie et l’esprit de M. Benoit de Spinosa,” which includes “Le traité des trois Imposteurs.”

This particular manuscript is much longer than any of the printed editions of Traité des Trois Imposteurs, and includes several more chapters than another manuscript which is in same library.

The printed editions usually contain six chapters, although the edition à Philadelphie, 1796, alluded to on pages 18–19, contains nine chapters. None of the printed editions that I have seen contains a chapter entitled Numa Pompilius.

The manuscript in Cornell library has six additional chapters more than our manuscript, 1716, which chapters are entitled: 1. Religions. 2. Of the Diversity of Religions. 3. Divisions of Christians. 4. The Superstitious,—of the superstition and credulity of the people. 5. Of the Origin of Monarchies. 6. Of Legislators and Politicians, and how they serve themselves with Religion.

These chapters being but an elaboration of the matters and ideas contained in our English translation.—A. N.