Collection of Ancient Moralists. Paris, 1782

This volume belongs to the Paris series "Collection des moralistes anciens" (Collection of Ancient Moralists), published with a dedication to the King. The book appeared in 1782; the catalogue associates it with Jacques-André Naigeon, a French man of letters, translator and philosopher, a disciple and follower of Denis Diderot and close to the circle of the Encyclopédistes. The series included, for example, his translation of Epictetus's "Manual".

The series was published in Paris from 1782 to 1795. It forms part of the museum's rare book collection, some 16,500 volumes from the 16th to the early 20th century, whose core is the library of Prince Nikolai Borisovich Yusupov (1751–1831). Yusupov valued early printed books and the work of celebrated printers; by the late 1820s and early 1830s the library at Arkhangelskoye numbered 15 to 18 thousand volumes and was one of the finest in Russia.

The description of this copy mentions a leather binding with gold tooling, marbled paper, a label, an engraving and silk fabric; the techniques listed also include manuscript and pencil.