8vo. Volume I: LII, + [5], 383 pp. / Volume II: [5], 343 pp. / Volume III: [5], 405 pp. + [52 ], half-titles, contemporary full calf, title gilt on raised spine, coat of arms of Duke de Luynes, minor restorations of the binding, otherwise set in very good condition, Amsterdam, Wetsteins & Smith, 1748.

Synopsis

The French scholar, Jean Gagnier was a professor of Oriental languages in Oxford and the predecessor of Edward Pocock. In 1723, already he published the life of the Prophet by Ismail Abu al-Fida [ Balanga p. 142] in Arabic and Latin. As most of his contemporaries could read neither Arabic nor Latin, they impressed upon Gagnier to publish a French language version of the description of the life of the Prophet. He published the first in 1832 in two volumes nine years later a complete new version appeared in three volumes.
The historical biography which is really excellent, describes the life of the Prophet with all its fables and wonders. For the first time, the author used good, albeit more recent source material and quotes the Arab authors for the most part word by word. His translations are brilliant and for many years his book was held to be the best biography of the Prophet. Many later authors made references to it.
Bibliographic references: Enay 33; Brunet 28000; Gay 3619; Silvester de Sacy 1438 for first edition.