Smith Adam | The first book by the author of "The Wealth of Nations"

Smith, Adam

The Theory of Moral Sentiments. London: Printed for A. Millar, in the Strand; and A. Kincaid and J. Bell, in Edinburgh, 1759

8vo (202 x 120). Half-title, errata on verso of final leaf (Nn4); some light browning and marginal soiling, lower fore-edge corner of Gg4 restored, small hole to fore-edge margin of Kk1, upper fore-edge corners of final ten leaves restored, the last leaf a bit more extensively affecting about six letters or numerals. Modern red morocco, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments.

First edition of Smith's first book, which had a recorded print run of 1,000 copies and is now scarce. The first edition includes on pages 205–06 a passage on the Atonement, which is suppressed in all later editions.

“The fruit of his Glasgow years, … The Theory of Moral Sentiments would be enough to assure the author a respected place among Scottish moral philosophers, and Smith himself ranked it above the Wealth of Nations. … Its central idea is the concept, closely related to conscience, of the impartial spectator who helps man to distinguish right from wrong. For the same purpose, Immanuel Kant invented the categorical imperative and Sigmund Freud the superego” (Niehans, A History of Economic Theory [Johns Hopkins, 1990], p. 62).

REFERENCES:

ESTC T141578; Kress 5815; Goldsmiths' Library 9537; Higgs 1890