Ozanam Fréderic

réf. 15613 — Paris, Jacques Lecoffre et Cie., 1845. xlvii, (1), 495 pp. 8vo. Modern half morocco, spine gilt in compartments, gilt lettering to spine, marbled boards, original covers preserved. Cf.: Paetow 544. Last and best edition. Antoine Frédéric Ozanam (1813-1853), French scholar and founder of the 'Society of St. Vincent de Paul.' At the age of 18 he wrote a pamphlet against Saint-Simon, and two years later, while studying law and literature at Paris, founded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, an association of layman for personal service among the poor. During his early years he made the acquaintance of Chateaubriand, Montalembert, Lacordaire, and other progressive thinkers who became closely associated with the revival of Catholicism in France. In 1839 he published a brilliant thesis on the philosophy of Dante.'The present social Catholic school considers Ozanam as one of its masters and as one who sought out and caused to be sought out the economic reasons for pauperism; who oriented Catholic charity toward preoccupations of social justice; and who worked for the settlement of the conflict between what he called "the power of gold and the power of despair"' (Georges Goyau in ESS). - Some paperspotting. A very nice copy in modern half morcco and with the original covers preserved.