ROUSSEAU JEAN-JACQUES: (1712-1778) Autograph instructions and corrections for his first edition of Emile or On Education

ROUSSEAU JEAN-JACQUES: (1712-1778) Autograph instructions and corrections for his first edition of Emile or On Education

ROUSSEAU JEAN-JACQUES: (1712-1778) French Writer and Philosopher. Very rare Autograph instructions and corrections in the hand of Rousseau, relating to the first Paris edition of Emile or On Education (1762). A cleanly written A.L., one page, 4to, n.p., n.d. [22nd November 1764], in French. An excellent autograph letter by Rousseau, referring to one his masterpiece works Emile or On Education (1762), an educational treatise, including four paragraphs, the first entitled `Fautes nécessaires à corriger´ ("Mistakes which need to be corrected"), stating in part `L´Auteur n´ayant pu suivre l´impression de ses feuilles, des fautes de copie dans le manuscrit, des quiproquo de l´imprimeur dans les renvois, ont rendu plusieurs endroits inintelligibles, surtout dans la quatrieme lettre...´ (Translation: "The author was unable to follow the printing of his sheets, copying errors in the manuscript, and the printer's misunderstandings in the references, which made several places unintelligible, especially in the fourth letter....") To the second paragraph entitled by Rousseau `Premiere Partie´ ("First Part"), the author lists five corrections stating in part `P.202. La ligne 10 et les deux suivantes ne doivent point former un alinea ni être en italique, mais s´écrire à la suite de celles qui précèdent et du même caractère. P.208. L[igne] 9. Ce mot dit-on doit être en italique comme le reste de la ligne.´ (Translation: "P.202. Line 10 and the two following lines should not form a paragraph or be in italics, but should be written after those preceding them and in the same character. P.208. L[ine] 9. This word, it is said, should be in italics like the rest of the line...") To the second paragraph entitled by Rousseau `Seconde Partie´ ("Second Part"), the author lists three corrections stating in part `P.22 - L[igne] 11. Avant d´avoir assez affermi leur puissance ils voulurent usurper le droit de mettre des impôts. Effacez cette phrase, et substituez-y ce qui suit. Ils avaient doucement usurpé le droit de mettre les impôts: avant d´avoir assez affermi leur puissance ils voulurent abuser de ce droit...´ (Translation: "P.22 - L[ine] 11. Before they had sufficiently established their power, they wanted to usurp the right to impose taxes. Delete this sentence, and substitute by the following: They had quietly usurped the right to impose taxes: before they had sufficiently established their power, they wanted to abuse of this right...") Before concluding and to the fourth paragraph entitled `Avis au Relieur´ (Translation: "Notice to the Bookbinder") Rousseau states `Il y a quatre cartons imprimés avec la feuille marquée d´une étoile. Le relieur aura soin de les mettre exactement à leur place.´ (Translation: "There are four printed cartons with the sheet marked with a star. The bookbinder will take care to put them exactly in their place.") Very small age wear and toning, otherwise G to VG

Rousseau published in May 1762 his work Emile, ou de l´Education ("Emile, or On Education"). Rousseau considered this work the "Best and most important" of all his writings. Due to a section of the book referring to "Faith", it was banned in Paris and Geneva and publicly burned in 1762. Few decades later, during the French Revolution, Emile served as an inspiration for a new system of education.