Release date is 2011-08-14

Produced by Mireille Harmelin, Christine P. Travers and
the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images
generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale
de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr)

"Cours familier de Littérature - Volume 08" by Alphonse de Lamartine is a collection of literary discussions written in the mid-19th century. The book comprises monthly dialogues that engage with various philosophical and literary topics, focusing on notable figures like the Comte de Maistre. It explores themes such as morality, governance, and the nature of good and evil through engaging prose and thought-provoking questions. The opening of the text presents a vivid scene where the narrator reflects on a beautiful summer night in St. Petersburg as he and his companions travel by boat along the Neva River. In this serene setting, a conversation is sparked about the nature of happiness and morality, particularly regarding the disposition of the "perverse" individuals in society. As the dialogue unfolds, it captures the essence of Lamartine's literary approach—melding appreciation for beauty and nature with deeper philosophical inquiries about the human condition, aligning it with the overarching themes of the entire work. This introduction sets the stage for an exploration of literary and moral philosophy, inviting readers into a world of rich discourse and introspection. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Original publication data not identified