[Rarebooks] FS - Discourses Concerning Government

[GREENFIELD BOOKS]

SIDNEY, Algernon. /DISCOURSES CONCERNING GOVERNMENT With His Letters, 
Trial, Apology, and Some Memoirs of his Life./ Printed for A. Millar, 
London. 1763. Thick, heavy, 4to. Pagination: [7], 46, [4], 497, 198, 
with an oval copper-engraved frontispiece of the author, and an 
extensive Index at the end of the Discourses.

Algernon Sidney (or Sydney) (1622-1683) was a republican who fought 
against Charles I, and was wounded at Marston Moor. He challenged the 
constitutionality of the commission which tried the king, and remained 
aloof from the centre of the government during the interregnum. Upon the 
restoration, he refused to swear allegiance to Charles II, the new king, 
and lived in Europe for some years, returning to England in 1677, where 
he again became embroiled in politics. In 1683, he was sent to the Tower 
after the discovery of the Rye House Plot, and tried for treason, one of 
the charges being that he had written a book (the /Discourses/) proving 
the illegitimacy of the monarchy. He was convicted by the court, one of 
whose members included the notorious Judge Jeffreys, and was executed in 
December of that year.

This famous work was written, as was Locke's treatise, in answer to 
Robert Filmer's /Patriarcha/ (1680) and laid the theoretical foundation 
for English republicanism. The first edition of this famous work was 
published in 1698. This, the fifth edition, is considered the most 
complete and important edition, as it contains not only the original 
text, but also "The Apology of A. Sydney in the Day of His Death", 
Sidney's letters (taken from the Sydney Papers, and to Henry Saville, 
the French Ambassador), a detailed account of his trial, and 46 pages of 
his Memoirs.

Our copy has been professionally re-bound in 3/4 mottled calf, with 
raised bands to the spine, and a morocco spine label. The endpapers have 
been replaced. There is off-setting of text in the preliminary pages, 
and occasionally throughout, but generally the contents are clean and 
tight. The oval copper-plate engraved frontispiece of Sidney is in 
excellent condition. Overall, a most handsome volume in outstanding 
condition. Digital photos may be had, upon application.

Price: $375.00.

Terms of Sale - The price is net in US funds. Payment by check or credit 
card. Postage and packing charge is $10 anywhere in North America. 
Overseas at our cost. Returnable within seven days of receipt if not as 
described.

=================================================================================================
GREENFIELD BOOKS						
Member: ABAC/ILAB and						
The Ephemera Society of America					
===============================					
217 Academy Road,					
Winnipeg, MB R3M 0E2 Canada				
Voice: (204) 488-2023				
FAX: (204) 488-3508				
	
Visit our web site and search our entire inventory, check out photos of our latest acquisitions, or make a secure credit card payment for your purchase.  Web site: http://www.greenfieldbooks.com			
=================================================================================================