First American Edition of Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations"
Inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. By Adam Smith, LL.D. and F.R.S. of London and Edinburgh: one of the commissioners of His Majesty's Customs in Scotland; and formerly professor of moral philosophy in the University of Glasgow ... Vol. I [-III].
Philadelphia: Printed for Thomas Dobson, 1789.
An Inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations.. By Adam Smith, LL.D. and F.R.S. of London and Edinburgh: one of the commissioners of His Majesty's Customs in Scotland; and formerly professor of moral philosophy in the University of Glasgow ... Vol. I [-III]. Philadelphia: Printed for Thomas Dobson, 1789.
Full Description:
SMITH, Adam. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. By Adam Smith, LL.D. and F.R.S. of London and Edinburgh: One of the Commissioners of His Majesty's Customs in Scotland; and formerly Professor of Moral Philosophy in the University of Glasgow ... Vol. I [-III]. Philadelphia: Printed for Thomas Dobson, 1789.
First American edition. Three twelvemo volumes (6 3/8 x 3 7/8 inches; 163 x 98 mm). [6, blank], 412; [4, blank], 430, [2, blank]; [2, blank], 387, [1, blank], [53, index], [3, blank] pp.
Full contemporary sheep, rebacked to style. Spine stamped in gilt. Red morocco spine labels, lettered in gilt. Previous owner's contemporary ink signature on title-page of each volume dated "1793." A separate contemporary ink signature to each volume, on top margin of advertisement in volume I, on title-page of volume II and on Contents page of volume III. Some minor toning and foxing throughout, but still overall a very good set.
Published thirteen years after the first edition and based on emendations and revisions made for the fourth edition, this first American edition of The Wealth of Nations significantly appeared in a momentous year in the history of the United States, which saw the convention of the first United States Congress as well as the inauguration of the country's first president. Prior to the 1789 publication, only a select and limited audience in America would have had access to copies of previous editions of The Wealth of Nations; it is therefore almost a certainty that, in the new United States, this was the first book to disseminate in a serious way Smith's important economic theories.
"Where the political aspects of human rights had taken two centuries to explore, Smith's achievement was to bring the study of economic aspects to the same point in a single work. The Wealth of Nations is not a system, but as a provisional analysis it is completely convincing. The certainty of its criticism and its grasp of human nature have made it the first and greatest classic of modern economic thought" (Printing and the Mind of Man).
Evans 22148. Goldsmiths' 13795. Printing and the Mind of Man 221 (first edition). Sabin 82305.
HBS 68760.
$17,500.
Price: $17,500.00
Item #68760