Apologie des lettres provinciales de Louis de Montalte contre la dernière réponse des PP. jésuites, intitulées Entretiens de Cléandre et d'Eudoxe.

12mo, 4 parts in 1 vol.: [12]-viii-160-[8], 161/344-[4], [8]-192, [8]-193/336-[4] pp. (ff. in quire "a" inverted, outer margins of p. III and V repaired, sl. foxing).

Cont. calf, gilt decorated spine on raised bands, red edges (rubbed, top hinge broken, corners bumped).

Rare edition of this response by the Benedictine M. Petitdidier (1659-1728) to Jesuit critics of Blaise Pascal's "Lettres provinciales". These letters deal with the dogmatic question which forms the basis of Jansenism: the agreement between grace and human liberty. Pascal also censured the Jesuit moral code or rather its casuistry. The most famous are the fourth on the sins of ignorance and the thirteenth on homicide. Woodcut "sphere" mark on title. Ref. Barbier I:246. - Biogr. univ. XXXI:601. - Cp. STCN, Goldsmith (BL London) M-1316, Matagne (Namur) P-166/167. Bound with: DANIEL, Gabriel, S.J. - Lettre de Monsieur l'abbé de *** à Eudoxe. Touchant la nouvelle apologie des lettres provinciales. Cologne [= Rouen], P. Marteau, 1698. 72 pp. Response to the previous work of Petitdidier by G. Daniel (1649-1728), French jesuit from Rouen. Prov. J. Decheppe (ms. entry). - [Georges Petit].