[Rarebooks] FS: Franklin. Rules for Reducing a Great Empire...

[Clare Murphy]

FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN.  RULES FOR REDUCING A GREAT EMPIRE TO A SMALL ONE 
DEDICATED TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE ALEXANDER, LORD LOUGHBOROUGH. TO 
WHICH IS SUBJOINED THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE BY THE 
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN GENERAL CONGRESS 
ASSEMBLED. London: Ridgway, 1793. First edition. 3/4 morocco by 
Sangorski and Sutcliffe. 12mo. [16 pgs] Fine.

"No American auction record. The Union Catalogue locates copies only 
at the Library of Congress and the John Carter Brown library but we 
understand that there are copies also at the Huntington and the 
Boston Public Libraries. Ford's note is in part as follows: 'Probably 
the cleverest political satire written by Franklin. It is a scathing 
review of the Ministry's methods for governing America, and is 
chiefly aimed at Lord Hillsborough, with whom Franklin more than 
squares the account which the latter had opened in the 'Walpole 
Grant' affair.' Originally printed in October, 1773, in the Public 
Advertiser. . . ." From Goodspeed's 1942 catalogue, advertising this 
very copy, purchased by the former owner, from whose estate I 
purchased it. By the way, there now exists one auction record (Swann. 
PRINTED & MANUSCRIPT AMERICANA--3/22/2007.) Ford 314; Sabin 25580. 
$7500.00

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Clare Murphy
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