Enlightenment Moral Philosophy Jacques Vernet Dialogues Socratiques 1754 First Edition Instruction for Saxe Gotha Court

Socrates

First Edition

Vernet, Jacques. Dialogues Socratiques, Ou Instructions Sur Divers Sujets De Morale, 1754 first edition presenting Enlightenment era moral philosophy through the Socratic dialogue form, composed for the education of the hereditary prince of Saxe Gotha. The work situates classical philosophical method within eighteenth century pedagogical practice, using structured dialogue to examine ethical questions and cultivate reasoning in a princely educational context. Produced within a German court known for intellectual activity, the text contributes to the study of Enlightenment education, moral philosophy, and the adaptation of classical forms for modern instruction.

Vernet, Jacques. Dialogues Socratiques, Ou Instructions Sur Divers Sujets De Morale. 1754. First edition. Duodecimo volume presenting a series of dialogues structured around moral and philosophical inquiry, following the classical model associated with Socratic teaching. The text frames ethical problems through exchanges between speakers, combining literary form with didactic purpose. Contemporary and later ownership is evidenced by multiple nineteenth century ex libris inscriptions on the final page, indicating continued circulation and readership.

Issued during the mid eighteenth century, the work reflects broader Enlightenment efforts to systematize moral education and integrate classical philosophical traditions into modern intellectual life. Courts such as Saxe Gotha functioned as centers of learning where pedagogical texts were commissioned for elite instruction, and Vernet’s dialogues align with this context of princely education and intellectual exchange. Shelfwear with bumping to corners, dampstaining to several pages, and a small tear to the final leaf; inscriptions present; overall good. A documented example of Enlightenment moral instruction in dialogue form.

Item #16857

Price: $1,750.00