Essays on the Powers of the Human Mind: Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man & Essays on the Active Powers of the Human Mind - 3 volumes.

Reid, Thomas

Published by Bell & Bradfute, Edinburgh, 1808

About this Item

1808. Reprint, possibly first thus in 3 volumes. xix, 383pp. and a frontispiece portrait of Professor Thomas Reid; vi, 440pp.; viii, 492pp. Thomas Reid (1710-1796) was a Scottish philosopher best known for his philosophical method and his theory of perception. In 1764, he published 'An Inquiry Into the Human Mind on the Principles of Common Sense', and soon after the publication of his first book, he was given the Professorship of Moral Philosophy at the University of Glasgow when he was called to replace Adam Smith. He resigned from this position in 1781, after which he prepared his university lectures for publication in two books: Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man (1785) and Essays on the Active Powers of the Human Mind (1788). The present three volumes comprise these two essays (Intellectual Powers, in which Reid focuses on human cognitive powers, in volumes 1 and 2; and Active Powers, where he discusses the active behavioral nature of the human mind, in volume 3). The three volumes are uniformly bound in contemporary brown half leather over paper covered boards with later replacement reddish leather spines and home-printed paper labels on the spines (probably mid to late 20th century). The cases of the books are in good to very good condition with noticeable shelf wear to the boards and scuffing with some damage and loss to the leather on the corners. The leather on the spines is faded and the labels are browned. The contents are tight and the books have new cream endpapers in addition to the original free endpapers. The pages are clean although there is scattered foxing to many pages. The foxing is mostly light with a few pages, mostly near the start and end of the books and including the title-pages, being more heavily affected. The original free endpapers are fairly heavily foxed. There are scattered marks and small stains from finger smudges, etc., and a few pages have pencil marks or lines on the margins. The title-pages show some soiling and there is an inscription on the top edge of the half-title page of volume 1 and the top of the title-page of volumes 2 and 3. All three volumes have a bookplate on the second (original) front free endpaper. There may be a few other minor faults that have been missed. PLEASE NOTE: This is a heavy set and extra postage may apply for delivery outside the UK.

Seller Inventory # gPhilReid01

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Essays on the Powers of the Human Mind: Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man & Essays on the Active Powers of the Human Mind - 3 volumes.
• Publisher: Bell & Bradfute, Edinburgh
• Publication Date: 1808
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardback
• Edition: Reprint
• Condition: Good to Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Philosophy & Related