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Important Swiss-French philosopher and writer (1712-1778) who held that the individual is essentially good but usually corrupted by society. Unsigned handwritten manuscript fragment in French by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, one page, 7.5 x 10, no date but circa 1746. A handwritten extract from the Latin translation of Arrian's 'Anabasis of Alexander,' discussing the historical existence of the Amazons, stemming from his time as the private secretary to the famous salonnière Louise Marie Madeleine Fontaine, called Madame Dupin (1706–1799).
In part (translated): "Edition of Frankfurt. 1596. translation by Leunclavius. Atropates gave Alexander a hundred women, whom he called Amazons, dressed in the habit of male riders, except that they carried axes instead of lances and elongated shields. Some say that they also had smaller right breasts, and that they exercised them in battles. Alexander sent them away from the army, lest they should suffer any disgrace from the Macedonians. But he ordered them to announce to the queen that he would come to her for the sake of generating children. But neither Aristobulus nor Ptolemy, nor any other trustworthy author, has handed down this story. To me, indeed, it does not seem that a nation of Amazons existed at that time…The battle of the Athenians against the Amazons is also written about by Cimon, no less accurately than the wars of the Athenians and Persians. Moreover, Herodotus frequently mentioned these women, and all the Athenian writers celebrated the war waged by the Athenians against the Amazons as the first among those who died in the war."
When Jean-Jacques Rousseau was introduced to Madame Dupin in 1743 he was immediately drawn to the salonnière who was famed for her beauty, wit, and intelligence. Although the infatuated Rousseau had to be discouraged from making unrequested advances to her, Madame Dupin employed the young philosopher as her private secretary and tutor for her son Jacques-Armand in 1745. During his employment Rousseau was mainly occupied with research for Madame Dupin's magisterial work 'On the Equality of Men and Women' and the transcription of her dictation. The excerpt at hand was part of Madame Dupin's highly ambitious project.
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