Utopia: Or the Happy Republic; A Philosophical Romance, In Two Books. Book I. Containing Preliminary Discourses On The Happiest State Of a Commonwealth. Book II. Containing a Description of the Island of Utopia, the Towns, Magistrates, Mechanick Trades, and Manner of Life of The Utopians, their Traffick, Travelling, Slaves, Marriages, Military Discipline, Religions.
by MORE, Sir Thomas
- Used
- Very Good
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Very Good
- Seller
-
Glendale, California, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Description: xxiii,[1],139,[1]pp. Octavo. Contemporary mottled calf. Mezzotint portrait (by Taylor after Holbein). Spine, fore-tips and joints slightly rubbed, refreshed calf spine label bookplate and two ownership inscriptions (one early, on verso of portrait), a couple of marginal chips to the slightly trimmed frontis (not affecting image), Latin marginalia in lower margin of P1, some tanning but no foxing; a very good copy of a Foulis title in a contemporary unsophisticated binding. First Foulis edition of Burnet's translation.
Synopsis
Sir Thomas More, son of Sir John More, a justice of the King's Bench, was born in 1478, in Milk Street, in the city of London. After his earlier education at St. Anthony's School, in Threadneedle Street, he was placed, as a boy, in the household of Cardinal John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor. It was not unusual for persons of wealth or influence and sons of good families to be so established together in a relation of patron and client.
Reviews
On Apr 2 2016, a reader said:
Utopia was a beautiful concept of a life that revolved around peace and a society without violence. It would be a type of redirection in the way, we bring up our young from infancy. More who at one time was King Henry VIII's very close friend, fell from his grace by not swearing the vow that recognized Henry as the Head of the Church of England (which consequently excommunicated England from Rome) and also did not agree with the divorce/annulment from Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Anne Boleyn & name her queen (all this was included in the vow). He explained to Henry that he'd always love him as a friend, and never speak against him publicly, but as a Catholic, even if he said the words but kept the truth in his heart it would still be a lie. Out of pride and anger that Henry could not bend him to his will he finally had More beheaded. This book was a fantasy world to Henry, one he referred to as a joke. He believed in making a spectacle of wrong doers while Thomas had a more peaceful idea. There are many who still feel a Utopian (which means paradise) society could be had including myself. It would take hundreds of years more work now though than it would have then. And even if we got close, it would never be completely Utopian, human nature wouldn't allow it. But enjoying it 75% of the time would truly be a wonderful world.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Reginald C. Williams Rare Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 160
- Title
- Utopia: Or the Happy Republic; A Philosophical Romance, In Two Books. Book I. Containing Preliminary Discourses On The Happiest State Of a Commonwealth. Book II. Containing a Description of the Island of Utopia, the Towns, Magistrates, Mechanick Trades, and Manner of Life of The Utopians, their Traffick, Travelling, Slaves, Marriages, Military Discipline, Religions.
- Author
- MORE, Sir Thomas
- Format/Binding
- Contemporary calf
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- 1st
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Published by Foulis Press
- Place of Publication
- Glasgow
- Date Published
- 1743
- Size
- 12mo.
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Keywords
- English Literature, Poetry
Terms of Sale
Reginald C. Williams Rare Books
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
Reginald C. Williams Rare Books
Biblio member since 2021
Glendale, California
About Reginald C. Williams Rare Books
Reginald C. Williams Rare Books LLC, specializes in books from the 16th through 20th century. We stock many books in the field of literature, Western philosophy, Greek classics, the history of ideas, Medicine & Science & fine sets. We are always looking to purchase individual books in our areas of interest.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Marginalia
- Marginalia, in brief, are notes written in the margins, or beside the text of a book by a previous owner. This is very...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Verso
- The page bound on the left side of a book, opposite to the recto page.
- Bookplate
- Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...
- Spine Label
- The paper or leather descriptive tag attached to the spine of the book, most commonly providing the title and author of the...
- 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...