De L'Esprit des Loix, ou du rapport que les loix doivent avoir avec la constitution de chaque gouvernement, les moeurs, le climat, la religion, le commerce, &c. À quoi l'Auteur a ajouté. Des recherches nouvelles sur les Loix Romaines. [Two Volumes]
Geneva [but Paris]: Chez Bar[r]illot et Fils, n.d. [1749], 1749. First Counterfeit Edition (ie. Second E. Full Leather. Quarto. Very Good. Item #33701
Two volumes. Pp. 4 p.l., xxiv, 522, [2] errata; 2 p.l., [i]-xvi, 564. Complete with half-titles, woodcut printer's device to each title, and woodcut tail-pieces. Contemporary full mottled calf with triple gilt fillets, gilt-tooled spines to a floral design in compartments between raised bands, matching red morocco labels, gilt, marbled endpapers, red stained edges. Minor wear to extremities of bindings, joints flaking slightly, corners slightly exposed, discreet repairs to headcaps and lower joints of both volumes, tiny piece shaved from upper corner of front free endpaper of first volume, armorial bookplate on pastedown, but overall an exceptionally clean crisp set internally, in handsome and carefully restored bindings. The First Counterfeit Edition (ie. Second Edition), First Issue, of Montesquieu's philosophical masterpiece, "The Spirit of Laws". The original edition of Montesquieu's anonymously written work was published in 2 volumes, 4to, by Barrillot & Fils in Geneva, in October 1748 (although undated). Its appearance was quickly followed by an unauthorised edition published by Prault in Paris in January 1749, with the false imprint of "Bar[r]illot & Fils, Geneva", also undated. There were three issues of this pirated edition, only the first containing the errata at the end of the first volume (as does this copy). The piracies were distinguishable from the original by the misspelling of Bar[r]illot (with one "r"), and the absence of the 14 cancels in the original. Within two years of its initial publication, Montesquieu's treatise on political liberty had achieved such popularity that he was able to write, "Il y a vingt-deux éditions de mon ouvrage répandeus dans toutes l'Europe." (Gébelin, p.22 ). The book generated enormous controversy and its author was accused of atheism in the pages of the influential Jensenist periodical "Nouvelles Ecclésiastiques". In spite of his "Défense", published in 1750, Montesquieu's work was placed on the Index in 1751. Montesquieu died not long after, but the principles he advocated in his writings, the ideas of freedom and toleration and the natural rights of the individual went on to inspire the French and American Revolutions and provide the philosophical underpinnings of the American Constitution. Tchemerzine VIII, 459-460. Kress 4920. PMM 197. Gébelin 2.
Price (CAD): $8,750.00