BONNET, Charles.

Essai Analytique sur les Faculte's de L'ame (Analytical Essay on the Faculties of the Soul).

Coenhague: Freres Cl. & Ant. Philibert, 1760. FIRST EDITION TP + 3 leaves = 5 pp. = Dedication + [I]-XXXII + [1]-552 + [553] = Errata, Quarto.Bonnet was a Swiss naturalist and philosopher born into a French family that had been driven to Geneva by the religious persecutions of the 16th century. His failing eyesight (reputedly caused by too much time spent looking into microscopes) drew him from natural history into philosophy. In this work and in Essai de psychologie - which preceded it in 1754 - Bonnet "followed Condillac by using the device of the imaginary statue to illustrate the genetic method of explaining the development of the personality. The personality arises from memory, which grows out of sensations. Especially concerned with the body-mind relation, Bonnet accepted David Hartley's theory of association of ideas. He defined freedom as the power of the soul to follow necessary motives; but in granting man a substantial mind, he denied mechanical determinism. He held that the relation between mind and body indicates that the mind must operate in a physical organism, but survives it - an idea that was to be developed [later] in his cosmic speculations." (EP, vol.1, p. 345) Contemporary half-calf binding with mottled brown boards. Five raised bands on the spine, richly decorated with gilt floral motifs. Tan spine label lettered in gilt. Very minor chipping to the head of spine. Small area of worming to center gutter area, not affecting text, extending from the front fly leaf to p. XV. - at which point it disappears. Some browning to text but overall a lovely, firm and tight copy. PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

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