THE SPIRIT OF DESPOTISM. London: Printed in the Year 1795. Philadelphia: Re-printed by Lang and Ustick, for Selves, and Matthew Carey, Nov. 28, 1795. 12mo, pp. [i-iii] iv-v [vi-vii] viii-x [1] 2-342, contemporary full leather. First U.S. edition. Like the UK edition, published anonymously. This important and once controversial work, published privately by the author in 1795, and subsequently suppressed in England until the edition of 1821, defends political liberty and Christian principles and argues that an offensive war is a high crime against humanity and Christianity. "Knox (1752-1821) is remembered as the compiler of ELEGANT EXTRACTS (1789)." - DNB. Evans 28936. Sabin 89471. The binding has been neatly reinforced at spine ends and along inner rear hinge with unsightly twentieth-century brown paper tape, the outer rear joint is cracked, some scattered soiling and foxing to text block, but pretty clean, and good overall. (#128857).
Price: $150.00
No statement of printing.