Candide, ou, L'optimisme
By: traduit de l'allemand de Mr. le docteur Ralph
Publisher: [publisher not identified]
Published: 1759
Place of publication: [England?]
Language: fre
Number of pages: 299
Other titles: L'optimisme.; Candide.
Notes: Aided by his discovery of the manuscript of Candide sent by Voltaire to the Duchesse de la Vallière, Ira O. Wade has demonstrated ("the First Edition of Candide: A Problem in Identification," Princeton university Library Chronicle Vol. XX, no. 2, Winter 1959) that this is the earliest edition of the work; this view is supported by Desmond Flower ("Candide: A Perennial Problem," Book Collector, Autumn 1959, p. 284-288), who considers it was printed in England and cites as one source of evidence the London provenance of the tail-piece on p. 228.  Cf. Bengesco.

Title vignette.

Initial, head- and tail-pieces.

Bengesco, G.  Voltaire, II, p. xvii