Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: and Its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness. In Two Volumes.
by GODWIN, William
- Used
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Beverly Hills, California, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: G.G.J. & J. Robinson, 1793. London: Printed for G. G. J. and J. Robinson, 1793.
First edition. Two quarto volumes (10 5/8 x 8 3/8 inches; 269 x 214 mm.). xiii, [1, blank], [19, contents], [1, blank], 378; [4], [23, contents], [1, blank], [379]-895, [1, blank], [2, errata and directions to the binder] pp. Complete with half-titles.
Contemporary tree calf. Spines stamped in gilt in compartments with two morocco gilt lettering labels. One in black, the other in green with a red inlaid oval. Board edges decoratively tooled in gilt. Edges dyed light yellow. A bit of scuffing to boards, edges and corners a bit rubbed. Volume two with a small minor crack to bottom of front hinge. Volume I with minor worming to front pastedown, and which extends for the next three leaves at the innermost margin only and just barely touches the half-title. Previous owner James Baillie Fraser old ink signature on title-page of each volume. Other previous owner's signature on top of contents page of volume II and scratched out at top of title-page of volume I. Paper flaw to top margin of page 859, not affecting text. Previous owner's notes and line through the word "Obedience" in the running titles on pages 186-189. Overall, an excellent, very internally clean, handsome copy.
"The Enquiry was, and remained, the work by which [Godwin] was best known. It was one of the earliest, the clearest, and most absolute theoretical expositions of socialist and anarchist doctrine. Godwin believed that the motives of all human action were subject to reason, that reason taught benevolence, and that therefore all rational creatures could live in harmony without laws and institutions. Believing in the perfectibility of man, he thought that ‘our virtues and vices may be traced to the incidents which make the history of our lives, and if these incidents could be divested of every improper tendency, vice would be extirpated from the world'. All control of man by man was intolerable and ‘government by its very nature counteracts the improvement of original mind'. The time would come, he maintained, when every man, by doing what seemed right in his own eyes, would also be doing what was best for all men, because all, through discussion, would be guided by purely rational principles. Natural relationship had no meaning—marriage and parental duty were alike irrational, and property the worst form of tyranny. It is to be doubted if anyone fully accepted this out-and-out radicalism, but Godwin's passionate advocacy of individualism, his trust in the fundamental goodness of man, and his opposition to all restrictions on liberty, have endured" (Printing and the Mind of Man). Provenance: Previous owner James Baillie Fraser was a renown Scottish travel writer and artist.
Kress B.2529. Goldsmiths' 15825. Printing and the Mind of Man 243. Rothschild 1016.
HBS 68132.
$15,000.
First edition. Two quarto volumes (10 5/8 x 8 3/8 inches; 269 x 214 mm.). xiii, [1, blank], [19, contents], [1, blank], 378; [4], [23, contents], [1, blank], [379]-895, [1, blank], [2, errata and directions to the binder] pp. Complete with half-titles.
Contemporary tree calf. Spines stamped in gilt in compartments with two morocco gilt lettering labels. One in black, the other in green with a red inlaid oval. Board edges decoratively tooled in gilt. Edges dyed light yellow. A bit of scuffing to boards, edges and corners a bit rubbed. Volume two with a small minor crack to bottom of front hinge. Volume I with minor worming to front pastedown, and which extends for the next three leaves at the innermost margin only and just barely touches the half-title. Previous owner James Baillie Fraser old ink signature on title-page of each volume. Other previous owner's signature on top of contents page of volume II and scratched out at top of title-page of volume I. Paper flaw to top margin of page 859, not affecting text. Previous owner's notes and line through the word "Obedience" in the running titles on pages 186-189. Overall, an excellent, very internally clean, handsome copy.
"The Enquiry was, and remained, the work by which [Godwin] was best known. It was one of the earliest, the clearest, and most absolute theoretical expositions of socialist and anarchist doctrine. Godwin believed that the motives of all human action were subject to reason, that reason taught benevolence, and that therefore all rational creatures could live in harmony without laws and institutions. Believing in the perfectibility of man, he thought that ‘our virtues and vices may be traced to the incidents which make the history of our lives, and if these incidents could be divested of every improper tendency, vice would be extirpated from the world'. All control of man by man was intolerable and ‘government by its very nature counteracts the improvement of original mind'. The time would come, he maintained, when every man, by doing what seemed right in his own eyes, would also be doing what was best for all men, because all, through discussion, would be guided by purely rational principles. Natural relationship had no meaning—marriage and parental duty were alike irrational, and property the worst form of tyranny. It is to be doubted if anyone fully accepted this out-and-out radicalism, but Godwin's passionate advocacy of individualism, his trust in the fundamental goodness of man, and his opposition to all restrictions on liberty, have endured" (Printing and the Mind of Man). Provenance: Previous owner James Baillie Fraser was a renown Scottish travel writer and artist.
Kress B.2529. Goldsmiths' 15825. Printing and the Mind of Man 243. Rothschild 1016.
HBS 68132.
$15,000.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Heritage Book Shop, LLC (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 68132
- Title
- Enquiry Concerning Political Justice
- Author
- GODWIN, William
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- G.G.J. & J. Robinson
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1793
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Keywords
- Law|Philosophy|Economics|Politics|PMM
- Note
- May be a multi-volume set and require additional postage.
Terms of Sale
Heritage Book Shop, LLC
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Heritage Book Shop, LLC
Biblio member since 2006
Beverly Hills, California
About Heritage Book Shop, LLC
Owned and operated by Ben Weinstein, who has been in the business of antiquarian books for over fifty years, Heritage Book Shop\'s inventory consists of some of the finest items in the areas of first editions, early printed books, bindings, illustrated books, literature, and manuscripts. Heritage Book Shop serves a clientele base consisting of private collectors as well as esteemed public institutions. We take great pride in the dedication we offer our clients. Whether you are building a first-rate collection of a favorite author or an extensive library, we look forward to offering the experience of our knowledgeable and helpful staff.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Calf
- Calf or calf hide is a common form of leather binding. Calf binding is naturally a light brown but there are ways to treat the...
- G
- Good describes the average used and worn book that has all pages or leaves present. Any defects must be noted. (as defined by AB...
- Errata
- Errata: aka Errata Slip A piece of paper either laid in to the book correcting errors found in the printed text after being...
- Quarto
- The term quarto is used to describe a page or book size. A printed sheet is made with four pages of text on each side, and the...
- Leaves
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- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Edges
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- Hinge
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- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Morocco
- Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...