SKETCH OF ROUSSEAU

Yesterday I wrote that I was suspicious of the "merely antiquarian," but that doesn't mean that I can't overcome that suspicion.

Below is a sketch that someone left between pages 512 and 513 of Warren Burger's copy of Durant, The Story of Philosophy (1926, 1927). It is on an otherwise blank sheet of 5 1/2 inch by 8 1/2 inch bond paper (three hole punched). The drawing itself is about 3 inches wide by 3 3/4 inches tall.


Durant has several plates with portraits of the subjects of the book - Socrates opposite the title page, Nietzsche between pages 438 and 439. The sketch above seems to have been made from a plate between 282 and 283 reproducing an engraving of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The chapter that contains this plate - on "Kant and German Idealism" - is annotated with a few margin notes in pencil, in a cursive script, in what appears to be Burger's hand. The previous chapter - on Voltaire - is more heavily marked.

Unfortunately, the particular engraving that my probably-not-so-mysterious sketch artist was working from is not available on the web. It's not a perfect likeness, but it's not bad, either.

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PS: Thanks to all of you who responded to my request for tips on where I might donate these books.