The Theory of Moral Sentiments; SMITH (Adam).

or, An Essay towards an Analysis of the Principles by which Men naturally judge concerning the Conduct and Character, first of their Neighbours, and afterwards of themselves. To which is added, A Dissertation on the Origin of Language. Seventh edition. Two volumes. 8vo. xv, [1, blank], 488; viii, 462 pp., lacking the half titles. Contemporary mottled calf, smooth spines elaborately panelled in gilt, second panels lettered in gilt on black morocco labels, fourth panels numbered in gilt on black morocco roundels, the rest with gilt sunburst devices, covers with double gilt fillet borders and gilt fleuron's to corners, gilt dentelles, spot-marbled endpapers, bright yellow edges (contents generally clean and fresh; only the merest hint of trivial shelf wear to extremities, a very fine copy). London, A. Strahan; and T. Cadell. An exceedingly nice copy of the seventh edition of Adam Smith's first book and most thoroughly philosophical work, originally published in Edinburgh in 1759. The Theory of Moral Sentiments provided the first expression of many of the ideas contained in the Wealth of Nations, with which it shares "a great unifying principle. Smith?s ethics and his economics are integrated by the same principle of self-command, or self-reliance, which manifests itself in economics in laissez faire" (Spiegel, The Growth of Economic Thought). The present seventh edition is effectively a reprint with 'some minor changes' (Tribe, p. 235) of the important sixth edition of 1790, which was the final edition published within Smith's lifetime and incorporated extensive additions and revisions representing both the authoritative text and the summation of his philosophical thought. It also included the first appearance of Smith's 145-page study of 'the Character of Virtue', while the sections on Stoic philosophy and the principle of veracity were heavily revised. Provenance: from the library of William Downes (1751-1826), Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1803 to 1822, with his engraved bookplates to front pastedowns of both volumes, and bound for him by Christian Samuel Kalthoeber (1775-1817), with his binder's ticket to verso of front flyleaf of Vol. 1. Tribe, A Critical Bibliography of Adam Smith, 44.