The work of Jean - Jacques Rousseau is presented in the series Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought in two volumes, together forming the most comprehensive collection of Roussea`s political writings in English. This first volume contains the earlier writings, the Firs and Second Discourses ,the publication of which signalled the power and challenge of Rousseau`s thinding. It also includes Rousseau`s extensive Replies to critis of these Discourses. he Essay on the Origin of Lmguages and the Letter to Voltaire on Providence, as well as several neglected but important early writings, the Discourse on Heroic Virtue and the essay on the Method on the Composition of a Book. Broadly speaking these earlier writings may be viewed as primarily analytic or diagnostic.

　　Rousseau's influence was wide reaching, and has continued to grow since his derth in 1778: the American and the French Revolutions were profoundly affected by his thought, as were Romanticism and Idealism.

This volume, like its successor further provides extensive editorial material that should prove useful to both students and specialists of these seminal works: a comprehensive introduction, a chronology, a guide to further reading, a discussion of Rousseau's vocabulary, detailed editorial notes and an index. The translations are literal and consistent throughout.

VICTOR GOUREVITCH, the editor and translator, is the William Griffin Professor of Philosophy at Wesleyan University.