Description

This is an uncommon Ottoman translation of Voltaire’s short science fiction story Microméga. The story, involving extraterrestrials visiting Earth and observing the inhabitants, combined influences of the contemporary scientific discoveries and critical views on the humankind, religion and morale.

The translation of the Micromégas to Ottoman, made by Ahmed Vefik Pasha, was first published in 1871, in parts, in seven issues of the magazine Diyojen. Soon after, contemporary with our edition, another undated pamphlet with the translation without an imprint was published under the title Hikâye-i Feylesofiye-i Mikromega.

Ahmed Vefik Pasha (1821-1891) was an Ottoman scholar, diplomat and politician, who was in 1877 elected the president of the first Ottoman parliament. He translated classic authors such as Molière and Victor Hugo to Ottoman.

We could not find any Institutional examples on Worldcat.

References: ÖZEGE; 7530.