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

New edition published in 1798, first with the author's name on the title pages.

Two of three states, differing in paging errors.

Date of publication "around September 1798", according to Wilkie.

Signatures: v. 1: pi² a-b⁸ c⁴ A-X⁸ Y⁶ (pi1 verso, pi2 verso blank); v. 2: pi² A-X⁸ Y⁶ (pi1 verso, pi2 verso, Y6 blank); v. 3: pi² A-Y⁸ (-Y8; pi1 verso, pi2 verso, Y7 verso blank)

Errors in paging, present in both states: v. 1: p. 337-348 misnumb.: "345-356"; v. 2: p. 313 misnumb.: "213"; v. 3: p. 311 misnumb.: "31"

Plates (4) unnumbered; the portrait (of the author Louis-Sébastien Mercier) and the frontispiece plate in v. 2 are new to this edition, while the other two plates (in v. 1 and v. 3, frontispiece) have been re-engraved.

Contains references to events and people in the Americas.

Includes: "L'homme de fer, songe." (v. 3: p. 238-326). -- "Opinion de L.S. Mercier, représantant du peuple, sur les sépultures privées." (v. 3: p. 327-340). -- "Notice des œuvres complètes de L.S. Mercier, ... (v. 3: p. 343-349)

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

Quérard, J.M. La France littéraire, 6: p. 58.

Martin & Walter 23897.

Wilkie, E.C. Mercier's L'an 2440, 1798.1a, 1798.1b.

John Carter Brown Library copy 1 (83-126), bound in contemporary half calf and paper boards, represents state 1. Volume 1 has the additional errors in paging: pages 290-291 misnumb.: "298-299"; p. 394-395 misnumb.: "302-303"; p. 298-299 misnumb.: "306-307"; p. 302-303 misnumb.: "310-311'

John Carter Brown Library copy 2 (69-412), bound in contemporary calf, represents state 2. It does not have any of the paging errors mentioned for state 1.