[Rarebooks] FS: First Issue of the First Edition in English of part of Ben Franklin's Autobiography, 1793

[Charles Agvent]

FRANKLIN, Benjamin. WORKS OF THE LATE DOCTOR BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: 
CONSISTING OF HIS LIFE WRITTEN BY HIMSELF, TOGETHER WITH ESSAYS, 
HUMOROUS, MORAL & LITERARY, CHIEFLY IN THE MANNER OF THE SPECTATOR. IN 
TWO VOLUMES. London: G. G. J. and J. Robinson, [1793]. First Edition. 
Two octavo (4-5/8" x 7-1/4") bound in contemporary calf, recently 
rebacked with new sympathetic spines; (ii), [v]-ix, (3), 317, [3]; [vi], 
268 pages. Vignette portrait of Franklin in a fur cap on both title 
pages. First issue, with the errata at the end of the first volume, of 
this important work publishing part of Franklin's Autobiography here in 
English for the first time. Ford 449: "Owing to the non-appearance of 
Temple Franklin's edition, this re-translation of the Autobiography and 
the collection of Essays has become the 'popular' and one might also say 
'Chap-book' edition of Franklin's 'Life and Writings'.... A collection 
of the 'popular' pieces of Franklin, together with a re-translation of 
the Autobiography from the French translation of 'Gibelin', the first 
edition of the biography, and Stuber's continuation. The editing was 
done by Benjamin Vaughan, who has clearly made use of his MS. copy of 
the Autobiography in the re-translation. The work was prepared for 
publication in 1791, but withheld on account of Temple Franklin’s 
announcement of an edition of his grandfather’s writings." Old and 
detailed bookseller's description tipped to the front free endpaper of 
the first volume. Occasional pencil marks, small tear to one page with 
no loss. Near Fine. (#015750) $7,500.00

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