Political Essays.

London: Macmillan and Co.,, 1873. First edition of this collection of essays by the prominent Irish economist, "about half of which is taken up with Irish questions" (Palgrave, I, p. 201). Cairnes (1823-1875) occupied the chair of political economy at Dublin. "At the height of his career he was probably the best-known political economist in England after John Stuart Mill... between 1864 and 1870 Cairnes wrote a number of articles on the problems of land tenure in Ireland, in which he argued in favour of proposals to fix rent by law and contended that this was not inconsistent with classical rent theory. There is evidence that his views on this and other questions of the day, such as Irish university education, exerted considerable influence on (and through) Mill and Fawcett" (The New Palgrave). Octavo. Original brown cloth, spine lettered in gilt. Ownership signature dated 1977 of Michael Hurst to front pastedown (possibly the Michael Hurst who served as Fellow and Lecturer in Modern History and Politics at Saint John's, Oxford), early signature to title page ("K. Leys University College" possibly Kenneth King Munsie Leys, 1876-1950, History Fellow at University College, Oxford), Times Book Club label to rear pastedown. Slight rubbing around extremities, light foxing, minor stain to rear cover and endpapers. A very good copy.