L’homme cultivé, ou Tableau des différentes périodes de culture et de civilisation,

que le genre humain a parcourues depuis l’origine des sociétés jusqu’à nos jours. Ouvrage destiné à entretenir la jeunesse en l’instruisant et en lui formant le coeur. Enrichi de 50 gravures enluminées et de deux Cartes géographiques. Traduit de l’allemand d’après la seconde edition revue et augmentée. Leipzig : Bruder et Hofmann, [1812]. Square duodecimo (140 x 120 mm), contemporary green-papered boards (rubbed, corners worn), spine with gilt-lettered red morocco title-piece (chipped); (pp. XVIII, 219, with 50 hand-coloured engravings on 14 plates, and 2 folding colour maps at rear (Danville’s map of the ancient world Orbis Veteribus Notus, and a map of Europe by Güssefeld); binding firm; there is light foxing to the text pages throughout (more pronounced on the title-page), but the attractive and vibrantly coloured plates and maps have survived virtually unaffected.

A beautifully illustrated pedagogical book aimed at providing the young reader with an overview of the “progress” of civilisation in all parts of the known world, from the origins of humankind up to the French Revolution – with much emphasis on the birth and spread of Christianity, as well as moral instruction. The plates include two depictions of Tahitians.

The preface is signed ‘C. F. Hofmann’ (i.e. Karl Friedrich Hofmann).

Scarce. No copy traced in Australian libraries.