François Hemsterhuis [SEP] native language
François Hemsterhuis
François Hemsterhuis (27 December 1721 – 7 July 1790) was a Dutch writer on aesthetics and moral philosophy.
The son of Tiberius Hemsterhuis, he was born at Franeker in the Netherlands. He was educated at the University of Leiden, where he studied Plato. Failing to obtain a professorship, he entered the service of the state, and for many years acted as secretary to the state council of the United Provinces. He died at the Hague on 7 July 1790. Through his philosophical writings he became
sur l'athéisme" (1787).
The best collected edition of his works is by PS Meijboom (1846-1850); see also SA Gronemann, "F. Hemsterhuis, de Nederlandische Wijsgeer" (Utrecht, 1867); E Grucker, "François Hemsterhuis, sa vie et ses œuvres" (Paris, 1866); E Meyer, "Der Philosoph Franz Hemsterhuis" (Breslau, 1893), with bibliographical notice; Augustinus P. Dierick, “Pre-Romantic Elements in the aesthetic and moral writings of François Hemsterhuis