Originally published London [i.e. Amsterdam], 1771, in one volume.

Authorship from Barbier; actual places of printing and distribution and printer and distributor from Wilkie. Preface (v. 1: p. vij) signed: "l'Auteur de l'An 2440."

Four of eight states of the edition in octavo published in 1786; for the first time, the text is printed in 3 volumes. The states differ from each other in various errors in paging.

Vignette on title pages.

Signatures: v. 1: a⁸ A-2A⁸ (-2A⁸; a1 verso, a4 verso blank); v. 2: pi² A-2A⁸ (pi1 verso, pi2 verso, 2A8 verso blank; leaf L4 signed as: "L2"); v. 3: pi² A-T⁸ V⁶ (-V6; pi1 verso, pi2 verso blank; leaf S3 signed as: "S5")

Errors in paging, common to states 1-4: v. 2: p. 251 misnumb.: "521"; p. 291 misnumb.: "191"; p. 357 misnumb.: "157"; v. 3: p. 73 misnumb.: "74"; p. 260 misnumb.: "360"; p. 269 misnumb.: "369"

Plates (3) unnumbered, serving as frontispieces for v. 1-3. Plates of the four copies studied belong to the "second suite", with captions in italics (see Wilkie)

Contains references to events and people in the Americas.

Includes: "L'homme de fer, songe." (v. 3: p. 218-312. 1 plate (frontispiece)), published here for the first time.

Martin, A.A. Bib. du genre romanesque français, 71.36.

Wilkie, E.C. Mercier's L'an 2440, 1786.1a, 1786.1b, 1786.1c, 1786.1d.

Barbier, A.A. Ouvrages anonymes, 682.

John Carter Brown Library copy 1 (83-10), bound in contemporary tree calf, with green spines, imperfect: lacks half-titles v. 1-3. This copy represents state 1 (correct paging of v. 1: p. 125; v. 3: p. 134-135 misnumb: "135, 134"; v. 3: p. 191 misnumb.: "190"; v. 3: p. 250 first digit "2" printed in a line above the two other digits)

John Carter Brown Library copy 2 (83-90) bound in contemporary calf. This copy represents state 2 (v. 1: p. 125 misnumb: "12"; v. 3: p. 106 first digit "1" printed in a line above the other two digits; v. 3: p. 134-135 misnumb.: "135, 134"; v. 3: p. 191 misnumb.: "190")

John Carter Brown Library copy 3 (83-22) bound in contemporary calf. This copy represents state 3 (v. 1: p. 125 misnumb.: "12"; v. 3: correct paging of p. 134-135 and of p. 191; v. 3: p. 304 misnumb.: "306")

John Carter Brown Library copy 4 (83-125), bound in contemporary quarter calf and paper boards, imperfect: lacks half title v. 2. This copy represents state 4 (correct paging of v. 1: p. 125; v. 3: p. 134-135 misnumb.: "135, 134"; correct paging of v. 3: p. 191; v. 3: p. 304 misnumb.: "306")