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Beesly, the leading British Positivist, sympathiser with the International Working Men’s Association (the first International), and friend of Karl Marx, with his pencil ownership inscription to the front pastedown of volume I, and with his scattered pencil annotations throughout. Written over a period of eight years, Levasseur’s history of the French working classes since 1789 is a continuation of his work on the same subject from Julius Caesar to 1789 (published 1859). 2 volumes, octavo (217 × 131 mm). Contemporary marbled boards and calf corners, rebacked in calf with red and green labels, red edges. Corners worn, inner hinges reinforced. A very good copy. £750 [123597] 97 LOCKE, John. A Letter concerning Toleration. London: Awnsham Churchill, 1690 The separation of Church and State Second edition in English of Locke’s seminal and enduring defence of religious toleration, simultaneously establishing the principle of the separation of church and state. His first separately published work, the Letter was originally published in Latin in April 1689 and then in English in October 1689; this second edition, published in March 1690, is revised with about 475 amendments. “In winter 1685–6 Locke interrupted his labours on the Essay [ on Human Understanding ] to write another, shorter work. Louis XIV had revoked the edict of Nantes in October, removing the last remnants of toleration for the French Protestants. The Epistola de tolerantia was written after Locke returned from Cleves about the beginning of November. It was addressed to Limborch, who kept the manuscript and subsequently arranged for it to be printed. The Latin text was published anonymously at Gouda in April 1689, two months
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after Locke had returned to England” ( ODNB ). The English translation was prepared by William Popple, a Unitarian merchant, possibly with Locke’s cooperation. “Locke advocated the complete separation of church and state: states exist only to preserve their members’ civil goods; churches are purely voluntary societies which are allowed to exercise discipline over their members, but which anyone can leave at any time without incurring any civil disabilities. Complete toleration should be given to every religious body whose doctrines are neither incompatible with civil society nor require their adherents to give allegiance to a foreign prince” (ibid.). Duodecimo (130 × 75 mm). Contemporary speckled calf, boards with blind-stamped roll border within a double gilt-rule border, spine ruled gilt, speckled edges. Ownership inscription to front free pastedown of Cecilia Townley (1714–1777), the fifth daughter and eventual heir of Ralph Standish and his wife, Lady Philippa Howard, the daughter of Henry, sixth duke of Norfolk. Joints rubbed, with short splits at head, corners worn. Front free endpaper torn and sympathetically repaired, just affecting ownership inscription, title with two small chips to lower outer corner, cut close at foot affecting rule border; a very good copy. ¶ Wing L2748; Yolton 4. £5,250 [142606]
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Peter Harrington
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