A significant work in the field of historiography. Jacques Basnage’s The History of the Jews was the first major attempt by a Christian scholar to provide a comprehensive history of the Jewish people from the destruction of Jerusalem through the early 18th century, intended as a direct sequel to Flavius Josephus.

The History of the Jews, From Jesus Christ To The Present Time: Containing Their Antiquities, Their Religion, Their Rites, The Dispersion of the Ten Tribes in the East, and the Persecutions this Nation has Suffer'd in the West. Being a Supplement and Continuation of the History of Josephus.

Author: Jacques Basnage (written in French, translated by Tho. Taylor).

London: Printed for J. Beaver and B. Linot [et al.], 1708.

First English Edition (The first edition of the most important post-biblical Jewish history of its era).

Folio (approx. 15.5" x 10").

[20], 759, [1] pp. Printed in double columns.

Includes the striking engraved frontispiece often missing in lesser copies, featuring a "Table of the Sephiroths" (Kabbalistic Tree of Life) and an allegorical figure of "Typhon."

Recently and professionally rebound in period-style quarter-leather over tan boards. The spine features five raised bands, gilt-ruled compartments, and a vibrant red morocco title label with gilt lettering ("HISTORY OF THE JEWS").

Bookplate of former owner Theo. H. Broadhead inside the front cover. (The Broadhead family was notable in 18th/19th-century British gentry)

Light, occasional foxing and toning consistent with age. There is some tide-marking at the bottom fore-corners of the first several leaves but it does not reach the text block significantly. The title page remains bright with the red and black ink still vivid. 

The "Continuation of Josephus": For centuries, Josephus was the primary source for Jewish history. Basnage was the first to pick up the mantle for the "modern" (1700s) era. It was the standard reference for Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire and Gibbon.

The Kabbalah Plate: The inclusion of the Sephiroth diagram is highly desirable. Early 18th-century English interest in Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah) was rare, and this plate is often a focal point for collectors of Western Esotericism.

The Translator: Thomas Taylor was a well-known clergyman and translator; his work here is noted for its attempt at objectivity during a period often marked by religious bias.