Discourse on the Art of Negotiation

Antoine Pecquet was a senior official at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Versailles from 1723 to 1740. Discourse on the Art of Negotiation is a translation of the 1737 book that he wrote to promote negotiation as the preferred means for resolving international disputes. Pecquet encourages talented youths to consider a career in negotiation and to acquire the requisite education. He describes an ambassador’s duties, his social life, the successes or failures he should anticipate, and the rewards he may rightly expect. The book will appeal to anyone interested in diplomacy, political science, or the history of eighteenth-century France and Europe.