Jean-Jacques Rousseau Collection

The Jean-Jacques Rousseau Collection is closely related in origin to the David Hume Collection; the volume of Hume letter described under Manuscripts also contained Rousseau letters and this fact no doubt played a part in the development of the collection. As well, the close relationship between David Hume and Jean-Jacques Rousseau in the 1760s also played a part in its development and a number of the titles held by the Division fall into both collections. For many years, the Rousseau Collection grew slowly, but in the last decade there have been many significant additions. The collection now comprises almost 400 titles of works by or about Jean-Jacques Rousseau two-thirds of which are eighteenth-century editions. The works in the Rousseau Collection are fully catalogued and can be found in the McGill University Libraries's on-line catalogue.

In addition to the printed works there are a few manuscript materials in the Rousseau Collection. These include letters and a contemporary manuscript copy of "Jean Jacques Rousseau, Citoyen de Geneve, a Christophe de Beaumont, archevêque de Paris… a amsterdam chés m. m. Rey. 1763."