Santayana, George

The Sense of Beauty: Being the Outlines of Aesthetic Theory

New York, NY, USA: Modern Library, 1955. First Edition Thus. Hardcover. "This book is one of the major classics of American philosophy. For more than half a century, it has rewarded readers with many insights into the elusive problem of the nature of beauty and the way in which beauty is perceived. Profound and serious, The Sense of Beauty is written with all the lucidity and brilliance that only a writer like (George) Santayana could achieve." (front flap) The classic work of philosophy by George Santayana (b. Jorge Agustin Nicolas Ruiz de Santayana y Borras, 1863-1952), the canonical Spanish-American philosopher, essayist, poet, novelist & academician. First published in 1896, we offer here the first Modern Library edition of The Sense of Beauty published in 1955, small hardcover in unclipped dust jacket (undoubtedly first issue with $1.95 price printed at front flap), first edition thus, presumed first printing with no references to further printings at copyright page. With an introduction by Philip Blair Rice (1904-1956), the noted American philosopher & academician. From the collection of George Bornstein (1941-2021), author, scholar, professor at the University of Michigan here in Ann Arbor- the dearly missed friend & mentor to this writer. Bornstein has written his ownership signature followed by this date & place information in blue ink at upper left area of front paste-down: "November 26, 1961 / Cambridge, Mass. / Lowell House." The foregoing indicates that Bornstein owned & studied this volume while an undergraduate at Harvard University—Santayana himself had an eminent position at Harvard decades earlier, & indeed he mentions in his Preface that this work was the result of "...ideas gathered together for a course of lectures on the theory and history of aesthetics given at Harvard College from 1892 to 1895." (pg. 3) Through page 54 (Part I/IV), Bornstein has extensively underlined, highlighted & annotated the text, again in blue ink. While prolific, Bornstein's marginalia does not obscure the text, & is an enrichment by a prodigious young Harvard student who would go on to authorial, scholarly & academic heights. An essential Santayana collectible in a very desirable version, singularly enriched & with most-distinguished provenance & association. Book in relatively quite fine condition with mild rubbing, browning to blue-cloth front, back covers & spine (gilt & black letters, graphics at spine & front cover mostly bright & intact); very slight wear incl. slight losses of blue surface color, a few tiny bumps, creases; mild rubbing, browning & occasional spotting to side & lower edges of text block; slight fading, faint scratching to blue-dyed upper edge of same. Interior fine with light browning to paste-downs, endpapers & page leaves (the latter chiefly at blank margins/edges); tiny bumps at corners of a few leaves; extensive marginalia through pg. 54 noted above (a definite enhancement here). Dust jacket (again relatively) near-fine with mild-to-moderate rubbing, browning, faint scratching & occasional spotting to front, back covers, spine & flaps; light wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; several tiny chips, tears esp. at spine-edges, corners with minimal loss of paper, surface paper; somewhat significant browning to inner jacket (containing a list of publisher's titles, & invisible in our protective covering). Fine / Near Fine. [Item #6505]

Price: $40.00