Peter Forsskal: Thoughts on Civil Liberty
 
Goettingen
 
  Peter Forsskål was a student at Georg-August-Universitat Göttingen from October 1753 to June 1756. In that year, he both passed the kandidatexamen (cum laude) and was created Doctorem philosophiae et Magistrum having defended a work entitled 'Dubia De Principiis Philosophiae Recentioris'
  The text of 'Dubia De Principiis Philosophiae Recentioris' can be read here.
   
  Forsskal's defence of Dubia
  Forsskal published a “defence” of Dubia, entitled 'Forskal’s Verteidigung', in the journal Neueste Geschichte der Gelehrsamkeit in Schweden, Vol. 4, Rostock 1759, pp. 549-573. The magazine was edited by August Ludwig von Schlozer, for whom see, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Ludwig_von_Schl%C3%B6zer (thanks to Professor Bernd Roling, FU Berlin, for the information). The digitised copy was found by David Shaw in the Bavarian State Library's copy at http://www.mdz-nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn=urn:nbn:de:bvb:12-bsb10734962-3. Forsskal's contribution starts at the link "Abschnitt S. 749". It is dated "Upsala, den 1. August 1758".
  For the translated article please click here.
  For the translated article (with translator's annotations) click here.
   
  For a Census of Copies of the 'Dubia De Principiis Philosophiae Recentioris' compiled by David Shaw please click here.
   
  Vitae ratio: On 9th May 1756, Peter Forsskål submitted his educational history, stating ‘I desire to be awarded a degree in Philosophy by the appropriate method of submission, if you would judge me not unworthy of this.’. For a transcription and translation by David Shaw please click here.
   
  1. Letter from Dean Gesner, dated 10th May 1756, to his colleagues requesting their attendance at an informal examination process the following Saturday at his home
   
  2. List of those Faculty members intending to attend the exam (presumably, the kandidatexamen).
   
  Documents numbers 1 &2 were transcribed and translated by Gunilla Jonsson who gratefully acknowledges the contribution made by Wolfgang Undorf, Förste bibliotekarie på Kungl. biblioteket National Library of Sweden
   
   
  On 12th June 1756, a Broadside was issued announcing that Forsskal had been created Doctorem philosophiae et Magistrum For a transcription by David Shaw please click here.
 

For a draft of the Diploma making Peter Forsskål a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences, Göttingen (Physical Class), drawn up by Georg Christoph Hamberger, the official Secretary of the Academy (transcription by David Shaw) please click here.

   
   
  Gottengen Univesrity 1735
   
   
  Gottingen seal