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[FIRST RUSSIAN CRITIQUE OF PRACTICAL REASON] Kritika prakticheskogo razuma i osnovopolozheniye k metafizike nravov / polnyi perevod s primechaniyami i prilozheniyem Kratkogo ocherka prakticheskoi filosofii sost. N. Smirnov [i.e. Critique of Practical Reason].

Kant, I.

St. Petersburg: tip. A. Transhelya, 1879. Item #110

XVIII, 110, 192, [3] pp. 20х14 cm. Contemporary half leather with faded gilt-lettering on the spine. Original covers are preserved. Rubbed, private library ink stamps on the front pastedown, cover and last page, Soviet bookshop’s stamp on the title page, owner’s markings in text.

Otherwise a very good copy.

The first Russian translation of the most important work by Immanuel Kant (first originally published almost a century ago in 1788).

In Russia Kant was an important figure, and attitude towards his philosophy work was complicated and ambiguous. With the development of high education different approaches to interpretation of Kant’s philosophy have shaped. Perception of his work was particular for every town - Moscow, Kiev, St. Petersburg, Kharkiv. Kant’s philosophy was spreading in waves (three overall), for example, at first it was introduced by professors Melman and Schaden in Moscow University who actively started to promote it; Karamzin published kind reviews, and finally first translations were printed («Osnovopolozheniye k metafizike nravov», Moscow, 1803; translated from German by Yakov Ruban). The first printed reference to Kant in Russia was made in 1790 by Melman (in Latin), and the first mention in Russian was made by Karamzin in 1791 (it was a letter about meeting the philosopher). All this together with Kant’s election to the Academy of Sciences in 1794 was the start of Russian Kantianism. His name was so well known in Russia that Russian diplomats and travelers were deliberately seeking his reception. His ideas were popular among professors promoting them in universities (Melman, Shad, Finke etc.). It is known that even clerics were using handwritten translations in theological academies. So in the very beginning of 19th century there were made a few translations, most of them were low-grade because the source for translations was secondary or (and) in other than German languages. But even these bad translations disappeared for a few decades, and only in the second half of the century new professional translations (like this) were made. Decrease of Kantianism can explain such situation (the decrease itself was probably caused by the spread of materialism and positivism).

Price: $1,200.00