Abstract

Critical examination of a group of manuscripts by Leibniz, carried out in preparation for the Series of Political Writings within the complete edition, yielded some interesting findings. The paper sheds light on the genesis of a publication by Leibniz, which he outlined in 1688, but published only in 1694, at which time he also mailed it to several of his correspondents. No record of the printed work has existed so far. In the paper, the sources used by Leibniz for his publication are being documented. Furthermore, the above manuscripts are being confronted with the corresponding sections in the respective editions of Leibniz' writings by Foucher de Careil and Klopp. That confrontation leads to observations permitting the conclusion that an anonymously printed book of 1694, in existence in several libraries, is actually identical with the work by Leibniz published the same year