ON THE WILL IN NATURE : Posthumous 1867 Edition - by Arthur SCHOPENHAUER
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An essential volume of Schopenhauer's philosophy in its 1867 'posthumous' edition. Includes Schopenhauer's own Preface as well as notes by the translator, the editor and complete textual annotations.
"Truth depends upon no one's favour or disfavour, nor does it ask anyone's leave: it stands on its own feet, and has Time for its ally; its power is irresistible, its life indestructible." Arthur Schopenhauer
A superlative translation of Arthur Schopenhauer's 'On the Will in Nature' made by Madame Karl Hillebrand in 1888; her vast understanding of the intricacies of nineteenth century German enabled her to convey many the subtleties in Schopenhauer's language and to ensure that no misunderstandings made their way into the English. The merit of Mme. Hillebrand's rendition of the text is that it replicates Schopenhauer's lucid style so well. The text is that of the 3rd Edition of Arthur Schopenhauer's work, laid before the public in 1867 by Julius Frauenstädt, Arthur Schopenhauer's first 'apostle' and the executor of his literary estate. As he explains in his Preface to this work, the 3rd Edition is a further corrected and amplified version of the previous text (2nd Edition, 1854), based on interleaved annotations left in a copy of 'On the Will in Nature' by the author himself. These have either been incorporated into the body of the text, or, where peripheral to the discussion itself, included as footnotes at the end of the volume.
Contents (of Schopenhauer's Essay): 0. Introduction 1. Physiology and Pathology 2. Comparative Anatomy 3. Physiology of Plants 4. Physical Astronomy 5. Linguistic 6. Animal Magnetism and Magic 7. Sinology 8. Reference to Ethics 00. Conclusion
Extra Features (of this edition): Preface by Julius Frauenstadt; Editor's Note by Edouard d'Araille; Textual Annotations; Essay from the 'Westminster Review' - "Iconoclasm in German Philosophy"; 3 B&W Portraits of Schopenhauer.
An Extract: from the 'Preface' (by Schopenhauer): "I have nevertheless one sad piece of news to communicate to our professors of philosophy. Their Caspar Hauser (according to Dorguth) whom they had so carefully secreted, so securely walled up for nearly forty years, that no sound could betray his existence to the world - their Caspar Hauser - I say, has escaped! He has escaped and is running about in the world; - some even say he is a prince. In plain language, the misfortune they feared more than anything has come to pass after all. In spite of their having done their best to prevent it for more than a generation by acting with united force, with rare constancy, secreting and ignoring to a degree that is without example, my books are beginning and henceforth will continue to be read. Legor et legar: there is no help for it. This is really dreadful and most inopportune; nay, it is a positive fatality, not to say calamity. Is this the recompense for all their faithful, snug secrecy; for having held so firmly and unitedly together? Poor time-servers! What becomes of Horace's assurance:-
" Est et fideli tuta silentio / Merces, --- ? "
For verily they have not been deficient in faithful reticence; rather do they excel in this quality wherever they scent merit. And, after all, it is no doubt the cleverest artifice; for what no one knows, is as though it did not exist. Whether the merces will remain quite so tuta, seems rather doubtful - unless we are to take merces in a bad sense, and for this the support of many a classical authority might certainly be found. These gentlemen had seen quite rightly that the only means to be used against my writings, was to secrete them from the public by maintaining profound silence concerning them, while they kept up a loud noise at the birth of every misshapen offspring of professorial philosophy; as the voice of the new-born Zeus was drowned in days of yore by the clashing of the cymbals of the Corybantes. But this expedient is now used up; the secret is out - the public has discovered me."
With the original 'Living Time Press' (2001) paperback cover.
"Truth depends upon no one's favour or disfavour, nor does it ask anyone's leave: it stands on its own feet, and has Time for its ally; its power is irresistible, its life indestructible." Arthur Schopenhauer
A superlative translation of Arthur Schopenhauer's 'On the Will in Nature' made by Madame Karl Hillebrand in 1888; her vast understanding of the intricacies of nineteenth century German enabled her to convey many the subtleties in Schopenhauer's language and to ensure that no misunderstandings made their way into the English. The merit of Mme. Hillebrand's rendition of the text is that it replicates Schopenhauer's lucid style so well. The text is that of the 3rd Edition of Arthur Schopenhauer's work, laid before the public in 1867 by Julius Frauenstädt, Arthur Schopenhauer's first 'apostle' and the executor of his literary estate. As he explains in his Preface to this work, the 3rd Edition is a further corrected and amplified version of the previous text (2nd Edition, 1854), based on interleaved annotations left in a copy of 'On the Will in Nature' by the author himself. These have either been incorporated into the body of the text, or, where peripheral to the discussion itself, included as footnotes at the end of the volume.
Contents (of Schopenhauer's Essay): 0. Introduction 1. Physiology and Pathology 2. Comparative Anatomy 3. Physiology of Plants 4. Physical Astronomy 5. Linguistic 6. Animal Magnetism and Magic 7. Sinology 8. Reference to Ethics 00. Conclusion
Extra Features (of this edition): Preface by Julius Frauenstadt; Editor's Note by Edouard d'Araille; Textual Annotations; Essay from the 'Westminster Review' - "Iconoclasm in German Philosophy"; 3 B&W Portraits of Schopenhauer.
An Extract: from the 'Preface' (by Schopenhauer): "I have nevertheless one sad piece of news to communicate to our professors of philosophy. Their Caspar Hauser (according to Dorguth) whom they had so carefully secreted, so securely walled up for nearly forty years, that no sound could betray his existence to the world - their Caspar Hauser - I say, has escaped! He has escaped and is running about in the world; - some even say he is a prince. In plain language, the misfortune they feared more than anything has come to pass after all. In spite of their having done their best to prevent it for more than a generation by acting with united force, with rare constancy, secreting and ignoring to a degree that is without example, my books are beginning and henceforth will continue to be read. Legor et legar: there is no help for it. This is really dreadful and most inopportune; nay, it is a positive fatality, not to say calamity. Is this the recompense for all their faithful, snug secrecy; for having held so firmly and unitedly together? Poor time-servers! What becomes of Horace's assurance:-
" Est et fideli tuta silentio / Merces, --- ? "
For verily they have not been deficient in faithful reticence; rather do they excel in this quality wherever they scent merit. And, after all, it is no doubt the cleverest artifice; for what no one knows, is as though it did not exist. Whether the merces will remain quite so tuta, seems rather doubtful - unless we are to take merces in a bad sense, and for this the support of many a classical authority might certainly be found. These gentlemen had seen quite rightly that the only means to be used against my writings, was to secrete them from the public by maintaining profound silence concerning them, while they kept up a loud noise at the birth of every misshapen offspring of professorial philosophy; as the voice of the new-born Zeus was drowned in days of yore by the clashing of the cymbals of the Corybantes. But this expedient is now used up; the secret is out - the public has discovered me."
With the original 'Living Time Press' (2001) paperback cover.