Two Letters Addressed to a Member of the Present Parliament, on the Proposals for Peace with the Regicide Directory of France; A Letter from the Right Honourable Edmund Burke to a Noble Lord; Biographical Sketches of Some of the Leading Men at Present at the Head of Affairs in France

Edmund Burke

Published by Rivington; J. Owen; J. Dickson and W. Creech 1792-1796, London; Edinburgh, 1792

About this Item

A smart tree calf volume consisting of one very scarce first edition work of biographical sketches of French figures, and two early impression works of letters from statesman, Whig politician and philosopher Edmund Burke. The first work present in the 1796 publication of two letters written by Burke in opposition to Prime Minister William Pitt as he sought peace with the French Directorate. Burke's opinion on the matter was highly regarded, as his prior 'Reflections on the Revolution in France' had already made many correct predictions on the matter.As the edition statement to this work is derived from the half title, and the work is here bound without the half title, the edition present here can only be identified as being any impression between the second and ninth, as pagination for the first and later editions differs, and there are no further issue points.The second work present, published in the same year, and also without the half title to indicate impression - as is common with this work - is Burke's defence of the pension he was awarded by Pitt's government following his retirement. The letter is regarded by the Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature as 'one of the greatest masterpieces of irony and feeling in the English language'. A first edition, later impression, identified as between the fourth and seventh impression, with catch word 'nant' to page 49.The final work, with ESTC reference no. N31959 is the very scare 1792 'Biographical Sketches of Some of the Leading Men at Present at the Head of Affairs in France'. The first and only edition of this anonymously authored work, which provides discussion of Robespierre, Carra, Chabot and Merlin.With a 1922 newspaper discussion of Burke loosely inserted, and a further clipping pasted to verso of front endpaper.A smart volume of interesting insights into the politics of England and France in the late eighteenth century. In a full tree calf binding. Rubbing to joints and back strip head and tail, with small losses to leather. Front hinge starting, with board holding firm. Newspaper clipping to verso of front free endpaper. Internally, firmly bound. Small loss to title page of first work. Pages generally clean and bright, with only the odd spot or area of light discolouration. Very Good.

Seller Inventory # 821F2

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Two Letters Addressed to a Member of the Present Parliament, on the Proposals for Peace with the Regicide Directory of France; A Letter from the Right Honourable Edmund Burke to a Noble Lord; Biographical Sketches of Some of the Leading Men at Present at the Head of Affairs in France
• Publisher: Rivington; J. Owen; J. Dickson and W. Creech 1792-1796, London; Edinburgh
• Publication Date: 1792
• Binding: Leather
• Illustrator: None
• Condition: Very Good
• Book Type: book
• Seller catalogs:
  • Economics & Social Sciences