‎HIRZEL, (H.K.)‎
‎Le Socrate rustique, ou Description de la conduite économique et morale d'un paysan philosophe. Traduit de l'allemand de M. Hirzel, premier Médecin de la République de Zurich, par un Officier Suisse au Service de la France (J.R. Frey de Landres) et dédié à l'Ami des Hommes. Troisième édition, corrigée et augmentée.‎

‎Zürich, Chez Fuesslin & Comp., 1768. 408 pp. 12mo. Contemporary marbled calf, gilt triple fillets on sides, spine gilt with green label with gilt lettering, all edges marbled, very lightly rubbed. Musset-Pathay 1772; Kress 6561; not in Goldsmiths; Einaudi 2905 (edition of 1777); Higgs 4312; Carpenter, Dialogues in Political Economy. Translations from and into German in the 18th century, p. 14 and no. 15. Third French edition of 'Die Wirtschaft eines philosophischen Bauern'. Hans Kaspar Hirzel (1725-1803), town physician of Zurich, describes the model farm of Jakob Gujer (1716-1785), known as 'Chlijogg', a farmer-philosopher who attained European fame through this account. Goethe came to see him twice and thought him one of the most wonderful creatures on earth. He was portrayed by Lavater in his famous work on physiognomy. The first German edition of this work was published in 1761 by Heidegger as part of Abhandlungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Zürich; he also published the first French edition, the first to be in book form, in 1762. 'This was the most succesful German socio-economic work of the 18th century. It shows the importance of French as an intermediary language. (.....) More importantly, through the French translation it came to the attention of Arthur Young who had it translated and published as an appendix to his Rural Economy (1770) which went through several editions. The translation made for Arthur Young was also published several times in the American colonies and in the early years of the new republic. The myth it fostered of the superior virtue of the agricultural life has been a powerful and persistent force in American life' (Carpenter). Includes the correspondence of the author with De Mirabeau. ‎

Reference : 16509

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