Leighton Library, Dunblane

Scotland's oldest purpose-built independent library founded in 1687

Leighton Library has 1755 first edition of "A System of Moral Philosophy" by Francis Hutcheson

Added at 08:07 on 08 August 2025

The Leighton Library has a 1755 first edition of "A System of Moral Philosophy" by Irish philosopher born in Ulster to a family of Scottish Presbyterians Francis Hutcheson who was born #OnThisDay 8 August 1694

He became known as one of the founding fathers of the Scottish Enlightenment (influencing David Hume & Adam Smith amongst others) - he also died on this day in 1746. This was the work for which he is best remembered. Though he began writing it in 1738 it was published posthumously by his son.

It represents his most comprehensive and systematic account of ethics, natural law, and political theory. He championed the idea that humans possess an innate “moral sense” - a faculty for perceiving moral beauty and deformity, distinct from reason or self-interest.

< Leighton Library has 1608 edition of “Le combat spirituel” with 27 new chapters added by Theatines religious order