FICHTE, Johann Gottlieb.

Reden an die deutsche Nation, (Addresses to the German Nation).

Berlin: Realshulbuchhandlung, 1808. FIRST EDITION TP + [3]-490 + 1 leaf = Druckfehler, small Octavo. (Lauth/Jacob 66; Baumgarnter/Jacobs A1.66x) In this book, Fichte "advocates the cultivation of philanthropic devotion as the guiding aim of national university education, he declared that the moral ideal, always sovereign, is never actualized in any historical period: it 'never is, but eternally ought to be.' Fichte was not concerned with the historical fortunes of social projects or institutions, but rather with their moral worth. What matters is not whether I succeed, but whether I deserve to prevail, whether the end to which I bend my duty really merits my loyal devotion." (EP, III, p. 196) This work has been wrongly interpreted as the source of pan-Germanism while in fact the work sought to combat just that. Fichte declares that it is infinitely more important for the Germans to develop their national culture whose support is society than to depend on external victories that have been obtained by the state for cultural domination. Since he urged that the national genius be realized in the objective and unpersonifiable community and not in the will of the state, there was nothing aggressive about Fichte's nationalism. Recent plain wraps using 18th-Century paper. Title page repaired to correct a 1" square cut out with information missing just below the ornamental design (part of the publishing data is gone). Title page just a bit dirty but all other pages are remarkably clean and handsome. An uncut copy. Except as noted, this is really a lovely copy. PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

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• ordernr.: 57

• bookseller: Athena Rare Books (USA)