Phædon: or, A Dialogue on the Immortality of the Soul.

New York: W. Gowan, 1833. First American edition. Very Good. The First American Printing of a Work by PlatoPLATO. Phædon: or, A Dialogue on the Immortality of the Soul. New York: W. Gowan, 1833. TP + 1 leaf = Dedication page with advertisement on verso + [5]-209 + [1]-2 = publisher's advertisements, 12mo. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION of any work by Plato.The first American printing of any work by Plato, noted on the TP: "Translated from the Original Greek by Madam Dacier with Notes and Emendations to which is prefixed the Life of the Author by Fenelon, Archbishop of Cambray, First American, from the Rare London Edition".André Dacier (1651-1722) and his wife Anne Lefevre (1654-1720) were learned Hellenist and Latinist scholars who took the side of the Ancients in the quarrel of the Ancients and Moderns which was raging at the time. They did much of their work together. Dacier also translated Horace, Aristotle, Sophocles, Epictetus, Hippocrates and Plutarch. He was an editor of the Delphin series of classics and was, for a time, in charge of the library at the Louvre. CONDITION: Very good in original boards with blue cloth spine and paper label (a bit worn) to the spine. Covers spotted and soiled. Some spotting along bottom edge to last few leaves. Foxing to first and last few leaves. Some dampstaining to last few leaves, not affecting text. Rear hinge starting but firm. Internally bright and clean.