Benjamin Franklin | The only collected edition of his writings published during his lifetime with his consent

Benjamin Franklin

Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces... London: Printed for J. Johnson, no. 72, St. Paul's Church-Yard, MDCCLXXIX (1779)

8vo (212 x 122 mm). Engraved frontispiece portrait of Franklin, 3 engraved plates, one folding, one folding table of the reformed alphabet; lightly browned and foxed throughout, folding plate lightly offset and stained at folds, a few stray stains. Contemporary calf, covers with gilt fillets, spine with raised bands in six gilt-ruled compartments, red morocco label to second compartment gilt-lettered, edges speckled red; extremities rubbed, head of spine chipped.

First edition of the only collection of Franklin's writings published during his lifetime with his consent.

"The collection in this Volume includes all the Political pieces by Dr. Franklin which have by any means come into the Editor's possession," notes the editor, Franklin's friend and British politician Benjamin Vaughn, in the Addenda, "and such of his Miscellaneous and Philosophical pieces as are not elsewhere extant in print." Among the topics included in the collection are works on politics, the Stamp Act, spelling, weather phenomena, and lightning.

REFERENCES

ESTC T56601; Ford 342; Howes F-330; Sabin 25565

PROVENANCE

Contemporary manuscript shelfmarks to upper pastedown