Joseph Priestley, Dr. David Levi

A finely bound, uncommon volume of Letters to Jews that contains both Joseph Priestley's letters and Dr. David Levi's replies.

• 4 works collected into 1 volume.
• Joseph Priestley (English).
• Dr. David Levi (English).
• Letters to Jews: Inviting them to an Amicable Discussion of the Evidences of Christianity, second edition, with Letters to the Jews. Part II. Occasioned by Dr. David Levi's Reply [and] Letters to Dr. Priestly [sic], in Answer to those he Addressed to the Jews, second edition [and] Letters to Dr. Priestley, in Answer to His Letters to the Jews, Part. II.
• Works I and II: Birmingham: Pearson and Rollason, and London: Johnson, 1787.
• Works III and IV: London: Johnson, Walker and Parsons, 1787-1789.
• Octavo.
• Bound in 19th century quarter mottled half calf, spine gilt with red morocco labels, and marbled boards.

By featuring both men's letters, this interesting sammelband enables us to follow the theological debate that took place between Joseph Priestley and David Levi at the end of the 18th century. In 1786, Joseph Priestley published his Letter to the Jews, which urged them to convert to Anglicanism. According to him, Judaism and Christianity were so close that both religions could be united. Hence his suggestion that the Jews convert to Christianity while preserving some of their own traditions, like the Shabbat. Levi, on the other hand, responded to Priestley by advocating for the independence of the Jewish faith. His replies led to many arguments with Christian scholars, and entailed a new series of letters written by Priestley and included in the present book. The latter also features several of the other letters that Levi wrote to the Christian divines who had criticized his response to Priestley.