Translating, Adapting, Mutilating

This essay discusses the European reception of Bernard Nieuwentijt’s physico-theology. Originally published in Dutch in 1715, his book was quickly translated into English (The Religious Philosopher) and from there into French (L’existence de Dieu); a German translation later followed. The book became one of the landmark titles of the eighteenth century. However, the translators made severe cuts in the text, sometimes to the point of completely changing the original message. In doing so, they contributed to the creation of a mainstream Enlightenment culture, whereas Nieuwentijt himself had reacted to the specific circumstances in the Dutch Republic

Art · Art history · Enlightenment · German · German culture · Linguistics · Literature · Mainstream · Point (geometry · Reflexive pronoun · Theology · Classics · History · Philosophy · Reformation and Early Modern Christianity