BOUGEANT, Guillaume-Hyacinthe, s.j. Amusement philosophique sur le langage des bestes. 1739 Gissey (Pr.), Bordelet & Ganeau, [4]-157-[5] pp. [bound with] IDEM - Lettre (...) à Monsieur l’Abbé Savalette. Paris, P. Simon, 1739, [2] ff. [and]...
Estimation :
200 / 300
Adjudication :
320 €
Description
[AUBERT de LA CHESNAYE DES BOIS, Fr.-A.] - Lettre à Madame la Comtesse D*** pour servir de Supplément (...). [Paris, s.n., 1739?], 46-[2] pp., 3 works in 1 vol., 12mo, cont. polished calf, gilt spine on 5 raised bands, gilt sides, red polished edges, marbled endpapers. Nice copy.
1st ed. of a “curious work, written in response to the century-old controversy of whether animals have souls, and, since language was taken as the definitive sign of reason, of whether they have language. The Jesuit Bougeant (1690-1743) concludes that the only solution which would not threaten religion was to grant souls to animals but to consider these the souls of demons inhabiting animal bodies as punishment. Apparently his irony was not greatly appreciated by his Jesuit order, who mandated a prison term.” (Rootenberg). Bookseller’s stamp.
1st ed. of a “curious work, written in response to the century-old controversy of whether animals have souls, and, since language was taken as the definitive sign of reason, of whether they have language. The Jesuit Bougeant (1690-1743) concludes that the only solution which would not threaten religion was to grant souls to animals but to consider these the souls of demons inhabiting animal bodies as punishment. Apparently his irony was not greatly appreciated by his Jesuit order, who mandated a prison term.” (Rootenberg). Bookseller’s stamp.
