John Mackinnon Robertson (1856--1933), scholar and man of letters, was a Rationalist and humanist who wrote voluminously on a wide range of intellectual and literary projects. This work and the following grew out of the successful A Short History of Freethought (1915). This first work covers the period from early man’s doubts about gods through to the end of the eighteenth century. --arguably the first full history of freethought in the English language --evised, expanded and final authoritative edition --handsomely illustrated with 44 portraits --packed with cross-references and bibliographical information --covers European and Eastern freethinking Read Less