LA SALLE , Antoine de. Méchanique morale ou essai sur l'art - Lot 367

LA SALLE , Antoine de. Méchanique morale ou essai sur l'art de perfectionner et d'employer ses organes, propres, acquis et conquis. Published in Geneva without mention of publisher, in 1789. In 2 volumes, format In douze / In-12. Brown speckled calf. Smooth spines decorated with gilt fillets, gilt title and tomaison on beige leather, cold fillets framing the boards, cold scrolls on the edges, yellow edges. Contemporary binding. VIII-416-(1); VI-464-(1) pages, bands and caps in the text. Slight rubbing, upper headband gone in vol. 1, worm hole on first cover of vol. 2, some damage to boards, corners dulled. Margins browned on first and last pages. Rare first edition of this work by the philosopher and scientist Antoine de La Salle (1754-1829), one of the most curious thinkers of his time and leader of the physico-moral school. It is both a classic treatise on physiognomy and a new way of looking at the relationship between body and mind from an educational perspective. Mechanics is also a treatise on understanding and logic, with theories on phonetics and linguistics, aimed at providing a comprehensive understanding of the human being, morally, intellectually and physically. A good copy of this sought-after work, complete in 2 volumes.