Das <b> <i>Lose Blatt Cortot</i> </b>. Ein neues Kant-Autograph

Abstract This paper presents a newly discovered autograph by Kant. The front page contains a draft letter from December 1797 addressed to Johann Daniel Metzger, the president of the Albertus University. The letter concerns a dispute between Kant, Metzger and the chancellor, Georg Friedrich Holtzhauer. Kant protests against the latter’s attempt to remove him from his seat in the Academic Senate. This exchange provides new information on Kant’s biography. The second page contains Kant’s reflections on the doctrine of law ( Ersitzung , i. e. acquisition by prolonged possession), the possibility of an a priori history of philosophy, and the philosophy of religion (historical versus rational-moral exegesis of Holy Scripture). These texts were probably written at the end of 1797 or the beginning of 1798.