Le Socrate rustique, ou Description de la Conduite Economique & Morale d un Paysan Philosophe … et dédié à L Ami des Hommes [i.e. Mirabeau].

HIRZEL, Hans Caspar.

Published by A Zurich, et se trouve à Limoges, chez Martial Baybou, Libraire, Imprimeur du Roi., 1763

About this Item

Originally written in German (Die Wirthschaft eines philosophischen Bauers, Zurich, 1761), it was this French translation, first published in 1762, which brought Hirzel s description of a model farm to a wider audience, notably Arthur Young. This was the most successful German socio-economic work of the 18th century [and] it illustrates several points about translations at this time. It shows the importance of French as an intermediary language. From the French it was translated into Italian in 1777 and into Russian in 1789. More importantly, through the French translation it came to the attention of Arthur Young who had it translated and published as an appendix to his Rural oeconomy (1770) which went through several editions. The translation made for Arthur Young was also published several times in the American colonies and in the early years of the new republic. The myth it fostered of the superior virtue of the agricultural life has been a powerful and persistent force in American life (Carpenter, Dialogue in Political Economy, Kress Library exhibition, 1977, item 15). The striking block-printed paper used for the endpapers here is Italian. See Kopylov, Papiers dominotés italiens 107. 12mo (165 × 95 mm) in half-sheets, pp. [4], 172; complete with half-title; natural paper flaw to lower margin of B4; a little light browning; near-contemporary full calf, spine decorated gilt in compartments, front board skilfully reattached.

Seller Inventory # ABE-1715248496269

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Le Socrate rustique, ou Description de la Conduite Economique & Morale d un Paysan Philosophe … et dédié à L Ami des Hommes [i.e. Mirabeau].
• Publisher: A Zurich, et se trouve à Limoges, chez Martial Baybou, Libraire, Imprimeur du Roi.
• Publication Date: 1763
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Very Good