Elements of the British Constitution: Containing a Comprehensive.

London: William Edward Painter, [1847]. A Presentation Copy from the Author Schomberg, J[ohn] D[uff] [1792-1864]. Elements of the British Constitution: Containing a Comprehensive View of the Monarchy and Government of England, Arranged in the Following Order: Principles of Civil Government. The British Monarchy. The Legislative Power. The Judicial Power. The Ecclesiastical Power. The Executive Power. The Monarchical Power. The Administrative Power. The Checking Power. London: William Edward Painter, 342, Strand, [1847?]. 264 pp. Octavo (7-1/4" x 4-1/4"). Publisher's blind-stamped green cloth, gilt title and price to front board, colored endpapers, small binder's ticket (Bone & Son, London) to rear pastedown. Light rubbing and a few small inkstains to boards, moderate rubbing to extremities, spine somewhat darkened, spine ends and corners bumped and worn, rear hinge starting. Moderate toning, small abrasion to left margin of p. 20 without loss to text, internally clean. Presentation inscription "Anson Schomberg/ With the kind regards/ of the Author" dated February 4th, 1860 to front free endpaper. $350. * Second and final edition "with considerable additions." First published in 1832, likely in response to the Reform Act passed that year, this work aims to allow "every well-wisher to his country [to] firmly settle in his mind the fundamental principles of the Constitution, in order that he may be able to discern between the just and temperate reform of the wise, and the wild and erring schemes of the foolish" (Preface). A conservative work influenced by Blackstone, de Lolme and especially Edmund Burke, it outlines the basic constitutional principles of the British government in simple terms. Schomberg, the vicar of Polesworth, wrote a number of other similar works on politics and government. He inscribed this copy of Elements to Anson Schomberg, a relative who served as an officer in the Royal Navy. A midshipman in 1847, he went on to become a distinguished officer who attained the rank of rear admiral. Both editions of this work are rare. OCLC locates 4 copies of the second edition in North America, 1 in a law library (University of Minnesota).…