GARVE (CHRISTIAN), an eminent German Phi losopher and Essayist, was born on the 7th of January 1742, at Breslau, where his father exercised the trade of a dyer. He studied at the universities of Frank fort, Halle, and Leipsic ; at which last place he ob tained a professorship of philosophy, but was soon compelled to resin it, in consequence of bad health. He returned to his native town, where he continued to spend the remainder of his life in retirement. In his last years, he suffered much from a painful and incurable disease, which he endured with the most philosophical fortitude. He died at Breslau on the 1st of December 1798.
The character of Garve was exceedingly amiable, both as a man and a philosopher. His erudition was great; and his writings bear witness both to the extent of his knowledge, and the accuracy of his judgment. The celebrated Kant paid him the com Aliment of saying, that he was " a true philosopher, in the legitimate acceptation of the word." Garve invented no system of his own, nor did he attach himself to the tenets of any one master. He belonged to that class of philosophers, who, without adopting any particular theory, take an impartial view of all systems of doctrine, and seek truth where• ever it is to be found. The just and rational views ,which he inculcated on the subject of our moral and social duties, entitle him to the praise of a ge nuine practical philosopher. The history of philoso phy is indebted to him for several new and inge nious illustrations ; and he has left us a faithful though rapid sketch of the ancient and modern doc trines respecting the fundamental principles of moral philosophy. His literary essays display a refined taste, and a genius at once elegant and philosophical. His style is uniformly simple, perspicuous, and correct.
On the inclinations, which was crowned by the Royal Academy of Berlin, 1769, 4to. 4. Progr. legendorum philosophorum nonnulla et exemplum, 1770, 4to. S. Remarks on the character and writings of Gellert, 1770, 8vo, in German. This treatise was translated into French, and inserted in the French translation of Gellert's works by Pajon. 6. A dissertation (in German) on the union of morals and politics, Bres lau, 1788, 8vo ; also translated into French. 7. Es says (in German) on various subjects in literature, morals, and social life. Of these, three volumes, we believe, were published during the author's life, and two have been added since his death. These vo lumes contain, among others, his Essays On society and solitude ; On the existence of God ; and his beau tiful Treatise On patience, which he is said to have dictated on his death-bed. 8. A sketch (in German) of the most remarkable principles of moral philosophy, from the time of Aristotle to the present day ; which was first prefixed to his translation of Aristotle's Ethics, and afterwards printed separately ; Breslau, 1798, 8vo. 9. Some observation: on the most general principles of morals, in German, Ibid. 1798, 8vo. Besides these works, Garve wrote a number of lite rary essays, which were inserted in various periodi cal publications. He also translated into German a variety of works, particularly from the English ; many of which lie enriched with valuable notes. Among these, we may notice the Ethics, Rhetoric, and Politics of Aristotle; Cicero's Offices; Burke On the Sublime and Beautiful ; Smith's Wealth of Na tions; Fergusson's Principles of Moral Philosophy ; and Paley's Principles of Morals and Politics. Garve's Correspondence with Weisse, and some other friends, was published at Breslau, in 2 vols. 8vo.
See the Biographic Universelle, Tom. XVI. Art. GARY!, by Degerando.