75 B a u m a n R a r e B o o k s Adam Smith’s Landmark Second Edition Of Theory Of Moral Sentiments, 1761, The First To Contain His Extensive Revisions 96. SMITH, Adam. The Theory of Moral Sentiments. London, 1761. Octavo, contemporary full brown calf rebacked with original spine laid down, renewed endpapers. $16,500. Scarce and important second edition of Smith’s first book, the first with Smith’s major additions and revisions at the core of “his central concepts of sympathy and the impartial spectator” (Tribe, 14), a work increasingly regarded as “one of the truly outstanding books in the intellectual history of the world” (Amartya Sen). First published in 1759, Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments laid the foundation for Wealth of Nations and proposed the theory repeated in the later work: that self-seeking men are often “led by an invisible hand… to advance the interest of the society.” “The fruit of his Glasgow years… 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” (Niehans, 62). This very important second edition is the first with Smith's extensive additions and revisions. Prompted by the critical insights of Hume and Sir Gilbert Elliot, Smith expanded and altered “central concepts of sympathy and the impartial spectator” (Tribe, 14). “Strahan printed 750 copies of the second edition… The title page shows the same publishers and identifies the author in the same way as the first edition” (Tribe, 14). Kress 5983. Tribe 2. Printing error on page 17 affecting seven words (provided in facsimile); expertly restored contemporary calf with some wear to front board. An excellent copy.
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