Diogène

1758 · 32123-123 — Amsterdam J. H. Schneider 1758. With 3 engr. frontispieces by Christian Friedrich Fritzsch 4 engr. title-vignettes 1 vignette and 28 engr. portrait plates. 12mo. Contemp. red morocco flat spines richly gilt with tiny stars and dotted lines wide gilt border composed of small stars and fleurons fillets dotted lines and arabesques around sides gilt outer and inner dentelles edges gilt by Derome le jeune. Amsterdam J. H. Schneider 1758. Fine set in an elegant binding of the lives of the most famous philosophers of antiquity by the historian and epicurean philosopher Diogenes Laërtius fl. c. A.D. 222-235. Not much is know about him he is also sometimes thought to have been a Christian. The work is divided into two sections dealing with the Ionian and the Italian schools. The present edition is illustrated with 28 fine full-page portraits; the plates are not signed but they might be the work of Christian Friedrich Fritzsch c. 1719-1774 who was active for Amsterdam publishers for some time and did portraits. As to the translator Hoefer knows one Jacques-Georges de Chauffepié 1702-1786 from Leeuwarden a biographer and protestant minister who translated mostly from the English; he maybe identical to the present assumed de Chaufepied. - Quérard La France littéraire II 564 mentions Chaufepied as translator; Brunet II 721; Lewine 147; Barbier 1028 c mentions Schneider as translator. LITERATURE: FRENCH ; ILLUSTRATED BOOKS BEFORE 1900 ; Amsterdam, J. H. Schneider unknown