List of Epistolae (Letters) of Spinoza

The following is a list of notable correspondence (Epistolae) of the Dutch philosopher Benedictus de Spinoza (1633-1677) with well-known learned men and with his admirers. These letters were published after Spinoza's death in the Opera Posthuma (Dutch translated edition: De nagelate schriften, 1677).[1] Spinoza had preserved the incoming letters and drafts of the letters he sent. In total 88 letters, predominantly concerning philosophical subjects have been handed down: 50 by Spinoza and 38 by his correspondents, 52 written in Latin and 26 in Dutch. The letters discuss topics from Spinoza's own work including infinity and the attributes (properties) of "God", Spinoza's concept of the universe) but also touch on subjects such as ghosts and scientific discoveries, for example the vacuum.[2]

  • Title page of B.d.S.: Epistolae doctorum quorumdam virorum, 1677, in Latin and Dutch. Translated title: Letters of learned men with answers. Published posthumously.
    Title page of B.d.S.: Epistolae doctorum quorumdam virorum, 1677, in Latin and Dutch. Translated title: Letters of learned men with answers. Published posthumously.
  • Letter of Benedictus de Spinoza (Gebhardt number 27) to Willem van Blijenbergh, written at Voorburg on 3 June 1665. In Dutch.
    Letter of Benedictus de Spinoza (Gebhardt number 27) to Willem van Blijenbergh, written at Voorburg on 3 June 1665. In Dutch.
  • Short letter (Gebhardt number 49) of Spinoza to the Utrecht professor Johannes Georgius Graevius of 14 December 1664. In Latin. .
    Short letter (Gebhardt number 49) of Spinoza to the Utrecht professor Johannes Georgius Graevius of 14 December 1664. In Latin. .
  • Short letter (Gebhardt number 46) of Spinoza to Leibniz of 9 November 1671. In Latin.
    Short letter (Gebhardt number 46) of Spinoza to Leibniz of 9 November 1671. In Latin.

Table of selected letters[edit]

The date of the letter is given with a correction for the Old/New Style dating system. A selection from the letters: [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Number[3][5] Gebhardt
number[8] 		From
Sender 		To
Addressee 		Location
Sender 		Day Month Year Subject Language
01 I[3] 01 I Oldenburg, Henry Spinoza, Benedictus de London 16/26 08 1661 God, extension Latin
02 II[3] 02 II Spinoza Oldenburg 09 1661 Attributes (properties) of God, Ethica part 1 axioms, theorem 1–4, mistakes by Descartes and Francis Bacon (1561-1626). Latin
03 III[3] 03 III Oldenburg Spinoza London 27 09 1661 Existence of God, Ethica part 1 axioms, promises to send a book by Robert Boyle. Latin
04 IV[3] 04 IV Spinoza Oldenburg 10 1661 Short answers to questions, Spinoza will visit Amsterdam. Latin
05 V[6] 05 V Oldenburg Spinoza London 11/21 10 1661 Sends Robert Boyle's book: De Nitro, Fluiditate, & Firmitate. Latin
06 VI[6]
 06 VI Spinoza Oldenburg 1661? Thanks for and comments on Robert Boyle's book De Nitro, Fluiditate, & Firmitate, with sketches. Latin
07 VII[6] 07 VII Oldenburg Spinoza Boyle thanks Spinoza through Oldenburg for his comments. B. lacked the time to answer Spinoza himself and had to defend himself against attacks on his books about the pressure and expansion of gases. The Royal Society has been founded. Oldenburg exhorts Spinoza to publish in his own free Dutch Republic (Republic of the Seven United Netherlands). Latin
08 VIII[3] 11 XI Oldenburg Spinoza London 03 04 1663 Answer to letter 6? Latin
15 XV[3] 32 XXXII Spinoza Oldenburg 11 1665 Coherence of nature, Christiaan Huygens Latin
23 XXIII 36 XXXVI Spinoza Blijenbergh Voorburg 13 03 1665 "Mijnheer en Vrient", "U. E. V. E. D." Dutch
24 XXIV
37 XXXVII Blijenbergh Spinoza Dordrecht 27 03 1665 Answer to 23, "Mijn heer en vrient", "UEDWD" Dutch
26 XXVI[3] 08 VIII Vries, Simon Joosten de Spinoza Amsterdam 24 02 1664 Discusses Spinoza's work with a group of people.[9] Asks two questions about nature in the Ethica and the opinion of others. Mentions Casearius, Borelli, Tacquet and Clavius. Questions Ethica part 1 theorem 8 remark 3 and theorem 19 remark 2. Latin
27 XXVII[3]
09 IX Spinoza Vries, de 1663 Spinoza sorts out various kinds of definitions and explains his opinions. Latin
28 XXVIII[3] 10 X Spinoza Vries, de Rijnsburg 1663? Answer on proofs and eternity. Latin
29 XXIX[3] 12 XII Spinoza Meijer, Lodewijk 20 04 1663 Infinity Latin
31 XXXI 18 XVIII Blijenbergh, Willem van Spinoza Dordrecht 12 12 1664 Opening: "Mijn Heer en onbekende Vrient..." Dutch
32 XXXII 19 XIX Spinoza Blijenbergh "Op de Lange bogart" 05 01 1665 Dutch
33 XXXIII 20 XX Blijenbergh Spinoza Dordrecht 16 01 1665 Opening: "Mijn Heer en waarde Vrient" Dutch
34 XXXIV 21 XXI Spinoza Blijenbergh - - - 1665 Latin (no Dutch?)
35 XXXV 22 XXII Blijenbergh Spinoza "Dordrecht by de groote kerck" 19 02 1665 Dutch
36 XXXVI 23 XXIII Spinoza Blijenbergh Voorburg 13 03 1665 Dutch
37 XXXVII 24 XXIV Blijenbergh Spinoza Dordrecht 27 03 1665 Dutch
38 XXXVIII 27 XXVII Spinoza Blijenbergh Voorburg 03 06 1665 Dutch
39 XXXIX[3] 34 XXXIV Spinoza Hudde, Johannes Voorburg 07 01 1666 God Latin
40 XL[3] 35 XXXV Spinoza Hudde Voorburg 10 04 1666 God Latin
41 XLI[3] 36 XXXVI Spinoza Hudde? 05 1666 God Latin
42 XLII[3] 37 XXXVII Spinoza Bouwmeester?, I. B. 10 06 1666 The best method to acquire knowledge. Latin
45 XLV 51 LI Leibniz Spinoza "à Amsterdam" Frankfurt 05 NS 10 1671 Latin, "Illustris et Amplme Vir"
46 XLVI
52 LII Spinoza Leibniz Den Haag 09 11 1671 Answer to letter Gebhardt number 45, in two versions, "Afgegaan den 8ste December 1671" Latin, "Nobilissime Vir"
49 XLIX
- Spinoza Graevius, Johannes Georgius at Utrecht Den Haag 16 12 1673 "(Hagse nacht post.)" Latin, "Vir Clarissime", "Omni affectu atque studio Tuus", "Benedictus despinoza"
50 L[3] 50 L Spinoza Jelles, Jarig? 02 06 1674 Difference between Thomas Hobbes and Spinoza on politics and God. Latin
51 LI 45 XLV Leibniz Spinoza Frankfurt 05 styl 10 1671 Latin
52 LII 46 XLVI Spinoza Leibniz Den Haag/The Hague 09 11 1671 Latin
61 LXI[3] 57 LVII Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus? Spinoza 08 10 1674 Difference between Descartes and Spinoza on free will. Latin
62 LXII[3] 58 LVIII Spinoza Schuller? 10 1674 Freedom Latin
63 LXIII[3] 59 LIX Tschirnhaus Spinoza 05 01 1675 Calls on Spinoza to publish his books Tractatus de Intellectus Emendatione (Treatise on the Emendation of the Intellect) and Ethica, the definition of motion and the difference between true and adequate ideas. Latin
64 LXIV[3] 60 LX Spinoza Tschirnhaus? 01 1675 Difference between true and adequate ideas. Latin
65 LXV[3] 63 LXIII Schuller? Spinoza 25 07 1675 Four questions on the attributes (properties) of God. Latin
66 LXVI[3] 64 LXIV Spinoza Schuller? 29 07 1675 Gives answers concerning the first three applauded books of the Ethica, that should be handed to a friend. Latin
67 LXVII[3] 65 LXV Tschirnhaus? Spinoza 12 08 1675 Inquires whether there exist two or more attributes (properties) of God, except extension (mass) and thought. Latin
68 LXVIII[3] 66 LXVI Spinoza Tschirnhaus? 18 08 1675 Refers to Ethica part 1 theorem 10 and Ethica part 2 theorem 7 Scholium [remark]. Latin
69 LXIX[3] 80 LXXX Tschirnhaus? Spinoza 02 05 1676 Asks Spinoza to explain his letters on infinity (Letter 29). Latin
70 LXX[3] 81 LXXXI Spinoza Tschirnhaus? 05 05 1676 Explains his position on infinity. Latin
71 LXXI[3] 82 LXXXII Tschirnhaus? Spinoza 23 06 1676 Asks how Spinoza derives the existence of various bodies from extension. Latin
72 LXXII[3] 83 LXXXII Spinoza Tschirnhaus? 15 07 1676 Replies that this is impossible, and that this is not his doctrine. Latin
no number 84 LXXXIV Spinoza A friend? - - - - About Spinoza's Tractatus politicus. Latin
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References[edit]

  1. ^ Publications by, for example, the Italian publishing house Quodlibet: quodlibet.it Opera posthuma F. Mignini ed., Amsterdam 1677. Photografic reproduction.
  2. ^ "Spinoza Web. About". spinozaweb.org. Spinoza’s Web project of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Utrecht University. 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac wikisource Epistolae (Benedictus de Spinoza)
  4. ^ "Letters - Spinoza web". spinozaweb.org/letters. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Index Epistolarum". users.telenet.be/rwmeijer. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d "Epistolae Doctorum Quorundam Virorum Ad B. D. S. Et Auctoris Responsiones Ad aliorum ejus Operum elucidationem non parùm facientes. BARUCH DE SPINOZA OPERA Hrsg. von Carl Gebhardt, Heidelberg: Carl Winters, 1925. 4 Bände" (PDF). spinoza.tk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  7. ^ "169 Inventaris van het Archief van het Weeshuis der Doopsgezinde Collegianten de Oranjeappel. Brieven van en aan B. de Spinoza, 1663-1676". archief.amsterdam (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Epistolarum numeri". On the last two pages is a concordance: "Epistolae Doctorum Quorundam Virorum Ad B. D. S. Et Auctoris Responsiones Ad aliorum ejus Operum elucidationem non parùm facientes. BARUCH DE SPINOZA OPERA Hrsg. von Carl Gebhardt, Heidelberg: Carl Winters, 1925. 4 Bände" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  9. ^ de Vries, Simon (14 January 2017). "Correspondance de Spinoza. Lettre 8 de Simon de Vries à Spinoza 1663". spinozaetnous.org. Spinoza et Nous. Retrieved 5 March 2023. French translation.
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