An Essay on Genius.

  • First Edition
  • Hardcover
  • Used
See all details
Item image 1 of 2.

Seller: Maggs Bros. Ltd ABA, ILAB, PBFA, London, United KingdomMaggs Bros. Ltd ABA, ILAB, PBFA

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since May 15, 2015

Association member: ABAPBFAILAB

Hardcover

Condition: Used

£ 682.50

£ 27.00 shipping 
Ships from United Kingdom to U.S.A.

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket
Free 30-day returns

Item description from seller

First edition. 8vo. vii, [i], 434, [2] pp. Contemporary tree calf, smooth spine neatly panelled with gilt roll-tooling, shelfmark '29' lettered in gilt at head, second panel lettered in gilt on red morocco label, marbled endpapers, yellow edges, green ribbon placemarker (small 'Consistorial Library' bookplate to front pastedown, faint partial toning to title page, otherwise internally clean; spine slightly scuffed, a fine copy). London, printed for W. Strahan; T. Cadell; and W. Creech, Edinburgh. Alexander Gerard (1728-95) was educated at Marischal College, Aberdeen, and became the first professor of moral philosophy and logic there in 1753. 'The success of [his earlier work] An Essay on Taste may have been instrumental in leading Gerard to explore another of the eighteenth century?s seminal abstract nouns, ?genius? In 1774, he published An Essay on Genius, a work that is in many ways more important and philosophically innovative than the book on taste by which he is best known. . For Gerard, genius is "the leading faculty of the mind, the grand instrument of all investigation"; it is the mind?s capacity for invention that makes genius the mind?s pre-eminent quality. (Homer is, not surprisingly, cited as the perfect model of genius.) Genius derives from imagination, but the two are not identical: "Genius implies regularity, as well as comprehensiveness of imagination. Regularity arises in a great measure from such a turn of imagination as enables the associating principles, not only to introduce proper ideas, but also to connect the design of the whole with every idea that is introduced". Gerard?s introduction of the idea of ?regularity? into his argument may seem to impose restrictions upon genius, but the discipline of organization and arrangement is necessary to bring to fruition the buds of genius' (Dictionary of Eighteenth-Century British Philosophers, Thoemmes Press, 1999).…

Seller Inventory # 262019

Bibliographic details

Title
An Essay on Genius.
Author
GERARD (Alexander).
Publication year
1774
Binding
Hardcover
Edition
1st Edition

Maggs Bros. Ltd ABA, ILAB, PBFA

London, United Kingdom

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since May 15, 2015

Association member:

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.

Item2 to 5 business days1 to 2 business days
First item£ 27.00£ 30.00
Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.

Payment methods

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay

Store description

Established in 1853, Maggs Brothers is one of the world's oldest antiquarian booksellers still operating today. We sell books worldwide through the internet as well as from our regularly published catalogues, and we are delighted to welcome customers to our two premises in Bloomsbury and Mayfair.

Specialty

Travel Books, illustrated books, Illuminated manuscripts and miniatures, Bookbindings, Continental books including incunabula, Fine printing, Autographs and Manuscripts, English-language literature of all periods, books of the Far East including Japanese photobooks

Association member

  • Antiquarian Booksellers' Association
  • Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association
  • International League of Antiquarian Booksellers
Members of these associations are committed to maintaining the highest standards. They vouch for the authenticity of all items offered for sale. They provide expert and detailed descriptions, disclose all significant defects and/or restorations, provide clear and accurate pricing, and operate with fairness and honesty during the purchase experience.

Seller's business information

Maggs Bros. Ltd ABA, ILAB, PBFA, BA

Maggs Bros. Ltd., 48 Bedford Square
London, United Kingdom WC1B 3DR