  Johann Eduard Erdmann studied theology and philosophy at Tartu and Berlin (cf. Glockner 1932). Friedrich Schleiermacher and Georg Friedrich Wilhelm Hegel were among his teachers. He later became a member of the right wing Hegelian school. In 1839 he was appointed full professor of philosophy at the University of Halle. Erdmann became well-known for his comprehensive history of modern philosophy entitled Versuch einer wissenschaftlichen Darstellung der Geschichte der Neueren Philosophie (“Attempt at a scientific presentation of the history of recent philosophy”), published in seven volumes (Erdmann 1834–1853). This history of philosophy covers the period between Descartes and Hegel. In part 2 of vol. 2 of this work, Erdmann presented a discussion of Leibniz and the development of idealism before Kant. This presentation was published in 1842, two years after his edition of Leibniz’s philosophical works. Erdmann reported that while preparing his history he grew unsatisfied with the available editions of Leibniz’s works. He therefore intended to unite Raspe’s edition with the philosophical parts of Dutens’ edition and some pieces from the unpublished papers. He started editorial work at the archive in Hanover in 1836.