122
“playground”). The educational work at New Lanark for many years excited the admiration of visitors from all over the world. The first Essay , dedicated to William Wilberforce, was written in 1812 and published anonymously. The second Essay was published in the same year, with the third and fourth privately printed and circulated during 1814, and not published until two years later. The fourth Essay contains proposals at national level, including a universal state educational system, a Ministry of Education, colleges for training teachers, a system of state-aided public works, and the gradual abolition of the poor laws. Edouard Dolléans notes that just forty copies of A New View of Society were bound for presentation: “En écrivant les Vues nouvelles , Owen a surtout pour objet de gagner à ses idées les membres les plus hauts placés de l’État et de l’Église; il fait relier richement par les plus habiles ouvriers quarante exemplaires des Vues nouvelles ” (Dolléans, p. 145f). 4 parts bound in 1 volume, octavo (230 × 145 mm). Contemporary dark blue straight-grain morocco, spine lettered and decorated in gilt to compartments, raised bands, boards with gilt roll and palmette borders, watered pink silk doublures and endpapers, inner dentelles and edges gilt. Housed in a dark blue quarter morocco solander box by the Chelsea Bindery. Extremities and boards expertly refurbished with a few tiny abrasions to joints, the contents crisp and clean, a fresh, wide-margined copy. ¶ Carpenter XXXIV (1); Foxwell, p. 15; Goldsmiths’ 20854; Goldsmiths’ Owen Exhibition 29; Harrison, p. 271; Kress B.6195; NLW 2–5; Printing and the Mind of Man 271. Edouard Dolléans, R obert Owen (1771–1858 ), G. Bellais, 1905. £87,500 [130529] 123 OWEN, Robert. The Book of the New Moral World. First edition of the first part of Owen’s most extensive work, inscribed by the author on the title page: “To Mr and Mrs Hick with the kind regards of the author”. Published in seven parts from 1836 to 1844, The Book of the New Moral World outlined Owen’s utopian vision for a co-operative society, and his analysis of the reasons for humanity’s present unhappiness. Octavo (223 × 142 mm). Original green cloth, discreetly rebacked with original spine laid down. Cloth and inner hinges neatly restored at extremities, shadow of original label, title lightly soiled, 20th-century marginal notes in pencil. A very good copy. ¶ Goldsmiths’ 29742; Kress C.4213; NLW 47. £2,250 [87776] London: Effingham Wilson, 1836 Inscribed by the author
122
122 OWEN, Robert. A New View of Society: or, Essays on the Principle of the Formation of the Human Character, and the Application of the Principle to Practice.. London: printed for Cadell and Davies by Richard Taylor and Co. (part I); for Cadell and Davies, and Murray by Richard and Arthur Taylor (part II); printed by Richard and Arthur Taylor . . . Not Published (parts III & IV), 1813–14 the first practical statement of socialist doctrine, One of 40 presentation sets, inscribed “from the author” First edition, first issue, of Owen’s first and most important published work, this one of forty specially bound presentation sets printed on thick paper, parts III & IV “Not published”, inscribed “From the Author” on the first blank. A New View of Society is considered “the first practical statement of socialist doctrine” ( PMM ). It contains the principles upon which Owen “based his educational and social reforms at New Lanark, an account of their application there, and an outline of the means by which his theories might be applied to the nation as a whole” (Goldsmiths’ Owen Exhibition). At the New Lanark industrial settlement Owen erected a large new building, the “Institute for the Formation of Character”, which was to contain public halls, community rooms and above all schools for the children at work in the factory, and with a nursery school (what Owen called a
WEALTH AND WELFARE
72
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker