Democracy in America [Married Set of the Authoritative Reeve Translation. Complete in Two Volumes] ; Translated by Henry Reeve, Esq. With an Original Preface and Notes by John C. Spencer. New York: J. & H.G. Langley, 1843. [Fourth Edition]; [TOGETHER with:] Democracy in America; Part the Second, The Social Influence of Democracy. Translated by Henry Reeve, Esq. With an Original Preface by John C. Spencer. New York: J. & H.G. Langley, 1840. [First American Edition].

Tocqueville, Alexis de; Henry Reeve (Trans.); John C. Spencer (Preface)

Published by J. & H.G. Langley 1843 & 1840, New York, 1843

About this Item

pp. xvi, 494; xii, 355. Octavos, uniformly measuring 6" x 9.5". Original publisher's cloth bindings over boards. Volume I in green cloth, ruled in blind with a blind-stamped arabesque background; Volume II in ribbed brown cloth, ruled in blind, also blind-stamped with arabesque details. Gilt rules, lettering, and ornamentation to the spines. Extremities show light rubbing to boards, spotting, and edgewear. Spine ends bumped and slightly frayed, with rounding to the corners of Volume II. Vol. I bears the bookplate of the Silsby Free Public Library of Charlestown, N.H., to the front pastedown with manuscript ink notation recording accession and shelf no., faint circular (unobtrusive) institutional blind-stamps to the title pages of both volumes, and a small period (library?) sticker affixed to the upper-left margin of the front pastedown of Volume II. The corner of the rear endpaper of Vol. II is torn. Rare, occasional spotting to some pages; otherwise, the text-block remains overwhelmingly bright, clean, and unmarked with tight, sound bindings. Good+.Provenance: Silsby Free Public Library of Charlestown (N.H.).References: Sabin 96064 (note) & 96065. Issued separately and in two parts. Our offering comprises the Fourth Edition of Volume I (1843) with the highly sought-after First American Edition of Volume II (1840), notably retaining their original, unrestored publisher's bindings. Volume II includes the publisher's notice on the verso of the front free endpaper announcing the imminent publication of the new and improved "Fourth Edition" of the first volume. Lacking the lithographed folding map called for in the 1843 printing (a notoriously fragile insert printed on thin paper that was frequently torn or removed entirely), however, one which the First American Edition of the first volume (1838) was issued without altogether.Originally published in French as De la démocratie en Amérique (Volume I in 1835, Volume II in 1840), the work is a cornerstone of Americana. De Tocqueville s intention was two-fold, namely to analyze the new democratic system emerging in America for his fellow Europeans, and to provide a guide for political thought for the future of Europe. It remains universally recognized as "the deepest, wisest, and most farseeing work ever written about America." Perhaps more relevant than ever.

Seller Inventory # 7882

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Democracy in America [Married Set of the Authoritative Reeve Translation. Complete in Two Volumes] ; Translated by Henry Reeve, Esq. With an Original Preface and Notes by John C. Spencer. New York: J. & H.G. Langley, 1843. [Fourth Edition]; [TOGETHER with:] Democracy in America; Part the Second, The Social Influence of Democracy. Translated by Henry Reeve, Esq. With an Original Preface by John C. Spencer. New York: J. & H.G. Langley, 1840. [First American Edition].
• Publisher: J. & H.G. Langley 1843 & 1840, New York
• Publication Date: 1843
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
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