15
15 BENTHAM, Jeremy. Defence of Usury. Dublin: Printed for Messrs D. Williams, Colles, White, Byrne, Lewis, Jones, and Moore, 1788 “A gem of the finest water” in contemporary calf First Irish edition, originally published in London in 1787, here published in Dublin in the year when a debate on the reduction of the rate of interest (from 6 to 5 per cent) was being held in the Irish parliament. The Defence of Usury was written during Bentham’s stay in Russia and takes the form of letters to a friend from “Crichoff, in White Russia”. The work expounds the characteristic Benthamite economic principle that no adult of sound mind acting freely and aware of the circumstances, should be hindered from making any bargain that he sees fit to make; it is thus “an attempt to out-Smith Smith” in hostility to state intervention in economic life (Harrison). “ The Monthly Review spoke of the book as ‘a gem of the finest water’ while Adam Smith pronounced it to be the work of a superior man, adding that he thought the author was in the right. ‘He has given me some hard knocks’, Dr. Smith is reported to have said; ‘but in so handsome a manner that I cannot complain’” (Atkinson, p. 82). Octavo (162 × 100 mm). Contemporary calf, rebacked, brown morocco label. Contemporary bookplate of the Earl of Portarlington to front pastedown, ownership signature of economist R. H. Tawney to initial binder’s blank. Slight rubbing and wear at tips, minor worming at foot of terminal few leaves not affecting text. A very good copy. ¶ Chuo D4.2; Everett, p. 541; Goldsmiths’ 13615; Muirhead, p. 12. Charles Atkinson, Jeremy Bentham: His Life and Work , Methuen & Co., 1905; Ross Harrison, “Jeremy Bentham”, The New Palgrave I , Macmillan, 2018, p. 228. £1,750 [93476]
14
Bentham’s first work of any importance First Dublin edition, textually identical to the first London edition of the same year apart from the imprint, of “Bentham’s first work of any importance” (Atkinson, p. 35). The work is in the form of a commentary on Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England , and constitutes Bentham’s most single-minded criticism of the social contract theory, which had characterized English political theory since Locke. Instead of the idea of the social contract, which fiction, Bentham says, has been little needed by those practising just rebellion, he urges the “Principle of Utility” as the sole basis for assessing justice and policy. There are four additional works bound into the volume before Bentham’s work: Halifax, Samuel. An Analysis of the Roman Civil Law . . . 2nd edition, Cambridge: J. Archdeacon, 1775. ESTC T139707. Hargrave, Francis. An Argument in the Case of James Sommersett a Negro . . . 2nd edition, London: for the author, 1775. ESTC T146270. A Barrister. Lord Mansfield’s Speech . . . in the Cause of Campbell against Hall , a new edition, London: G. Kearsley, 1775. ESTC N10870. Borthwick, W. An Inqury into the Origin and Limitations of the Feudal Dignities of Scotland, Edinburgh: William Gordon, 1775. ESTC T37267. Octavo (202 × 122 mm). Bound last in a pamphlet volume of contemporary tan calf, red morocco label, green silk bookmarker. Joints rubbed and cracking at head but perfectly sound, some light wear to extremities; title page with two vertical flaws skinning the paper with the loss of a few characters, sense fully recoverable; a very good copy. ¶ Chuo F1.2; ESTC N3305; Everett, p. 535; Goldsmiths’ 11504; Muirhead, p. 8. Charles Atkinson, Jeremy Bentham: His Life and Work , Methuen & Co., 1905. £5,750 [148887]
9
Peter Harrington
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker