‎KRAFT, JENS.‎
‎Menneskets Ufornøielighed i sin Stand af Horat. Lib. 1. Sat. 1.‎

‎Soröe, Lindgren, 1759. 8vo. In contemporary marbled wrappers. Wear to extremities and small paper-label pasted on to top of spine. Internally nice and clean. 24 pp.‎

Reference : 62152

‎Rare first edition of Kraft’s philosophical poem exploring man’s potential discontent with his social station. First composed in 1738 but only published by the author in 1759 after being overlooked by Holberg’s prize committee, the work stands as a fine example of Enlightenment moral literature in Denmark. Reflecting on the universal human tendency to envy others’ positions Kraft’s verse offers a sharp and elegant critique of ambition and restlessness. Jens Kraft (1720–1765) was a Dano-Norwegian mathematician and philosopher. He was born in Frederikshald in Norway.While still a student in Copenhagen, he was influenced by Christian Wolff, having attended one of Wolff’s lectures during a visit to Halle. Later he was appointed professor of philosophy at the Sorø Academy, where he responded to Baumgarten’s Metaphysica with his own work, Metaphysik. Both philosophers structured their works into four divisions: Cosmologie, Ontologie, Psykologie, and Naturlig Theologie.‎