Item #B5561 Discourses Concerning Government. Algernon Sidney.
Discourses Concerning Government

Discourses Concerning Government

London: A. Millar, c. 1763. Edition: Large paper edition., Binding: Contemporary full mottled calf. Spine in seven compartments of raised bands. Gilt text on morocco label on 2. Densely gilt ornamentation on 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Gilt dentelles on all board edges. All edges speckled. , Notes: Algernon Sydney (1623-1683) was an English politician, republican political theorist, colonel, and opponent of King Charles II of England, who became involved in a plot against the King and was executed for treason. Thomas Jefferson regarded Locke and Sidney as the two leading sources for the American understanding of the principles of political liberty and the rights of humanity, and therefore his writing played a major part in shaping the American identity and drafting the Declaration of Independence.

For Sidney absolute monarchy, in the form practised by Louis XIV, was a great political evil. His “Discourses Concerning Government” (the text which constituted the main bulk of evidence against him during his trial) was written during the Exclusion Crisis, as a response to Robert Filmer's “Patriarcha”, a defence of divine right monarchy, first published in 1680. Sidney was strongly opposed to the principles espoused by Filmer and believed that the Sovereign's subjects had the right and duty to share in the government of the Realm by giving advice and counsel. It was Filmer's business, he wrote, "to overthrow liberty and truth." Sidney wrote that patriarchal government was not 'God's will', as Filmer and others contended, because the "Civil powers are purely human ordinances." The book was first published in 1698, fifteen years after his execution. This edition includes sections that detail his letters, trial, apology and select memoirs.
, Size: 4to (284x220mm). , Illustration: Illustrated with a frontispiece portrait of the author. , References: Graesse VI 399; Sabine, 512; Wing S3761; Lowndes, 2394; Marke, 953., Pages: P. Blank, frontis, title, preface (2), memoires title, 1-44, contents (6), half title, 3-462, index (463-497, half title, 3-198, blank (158-159 mispag. as 178-179)., Category: Book Social Sciences; Book History; Book Europe United Kingdom;. A handsome and fine example of this large paper edition in pristine period binding. Text is mostly clean and crisp. Item #B5561

Edition: Large paper edition., Binding: Contemporary full mottled calf. Spine in seven compartments of raised bands. Gilt text on morocco label on 2. Densely gilt ornamentation on 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Gilt dentelles on all board edges. All edges speckled. , Notes: Algernon Sydney (1623-1683) was an English politician, republican political theorist, colonel, and opponent of King Charles II of England, who became involved in a plot against the King and was executed for treason. Thomas Jefferson regarded Locke and Sidney as the two leading sources for the American understanding of the principles of political liberty and the rights of humanity, and therefore his writing played a major part in shaping the American identity and drafting the Declaration of Independence.

For Sidney absolute monarchy, in the form practised by Louis XIV, was a great political evil. His “Discourses Concerning Government” (the text which constituted the main bulk of evidence against him during his trial) was written during the Exclusion Crisis, as a response to Robert Filmer's “Patriarcha”, a defence of divine right monarchy, first published in 1680. Sidney was strongly opposed to the principles espoused by Filmer and believed that the Sovereign's subjects had the right and duty to share in the government of the Realm by giving advice and counsel. It was Filmer's business, he wrote, "to overthrow liberty and truth." Sidney wrote that patriarchal government was not 'God's will', as Filmer and others contended, because the "Civil powers are purely human ordinances." The book was first published in 1698, fifteen years after his execution. This edition includes sections that detail his letters, trial, apology and select memoirs.
, Size: 4to (284x220mm). , Illustration: Illustrated with a frontispiece portrait of the author. , References: Graesse VI 399; Sabine, 512; Wing S3761; Lowndes, 2394; Marke, 953., Pages: P. Blank, frontis, title, preface (2), memoires title, 1-44, contents (6), half title, 3-462, index (463-497, half title, 3-198, blank (158-159 mispag. as 178-179)., Category: Book Social Sciences; Book History; Book Europe United Kingdom;.

Price: $2,500.00

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