THE “FIRST GREAT AMERICAN”: FRANKLIN’S COMPLETE WORKS, WITH ENGRAVED PORTRAIT AND PLATES

FRANKLIN, Benjamin. The Complete Works, in Philosophy, Politics, and Morals… With Memoirs of His Early Life, Written by Himself. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown / and J. Johnson, [1811]. Three volumes. Octavo, contemporary full brown tree calf rebacked with original black morocco spine labels laid down, raised bands, marbled endpapers and edges.

Scarce 1811 edition of the first collected edition of Franklin’s Complete Works, including his autobiography, “Way to Wealth,” numerous political writings including “Causes of the American Discontents before 1768” and works on the Stamp Act, and adding for the first time his scientific writings, with engraved frontispiece portrait, 13 plates (ten folding), a folding table and a folding map of the Gulf Stream, a lovely copy in contemporary tree calf boards.

Hailed as the "first great American" by historian Frederick Jackson Turner, America's "first philosopher" by David Hume and "one of the most sensible men that ever lived" by Emerson, Benjamin Franklin "held true to a fundamental ideal with unwavering and at times heroic fortitude: a faith in the wisdom of the common citizen" (Isaacson, 478-93). This handsome edition of Franklin's Complete Works, published not long after his death, offers rich evidence of the pragmatic brilliance in the words of this Founding Father who was described as "a great genius" even by his adversary John Adams. Featured in these three volumes is a retranslation of Franklin's famed autobiography (first published in French in 1791), "the most widely read of all American autobiographies," joined by a continuation of his life by Stuber and extracts from his will (Grolier American 100:21). Also included are his "Letters and Papers on Electricity" and numerous scientific essays, key political writings such as his "Causes of the American Discontents before 1768," works on the Stamp Act that include a transcript of his 1766 examination before the House of Commons, "The Way to Wealth," his essay on "The Slave Trade," and extensive correspondence. A collected Works was first published in France (1791), Germany (1792), and Sweden (1792); the first edition in English was published in London in 1793, but that often-reprinted edition included chiefly the popular and political writings, not the scientific papers (see Ford 437). Stated "Second Edition," this is a scarce "resissue of the [1806] first edition with a change of printed titles": otherwise with the same engraved vignette title pages as the first edition and the same number of plates (Ford 551). Edited by "Mr. Marshall… [who] used much diligence in searching for essays and papers, that had not before been comprised in any collection" (Ford 550). Containing engraved frontispiece portrait (I); each volume engraved title pages, letterpress title pages. Thirteen engraved plates: ten folding and three full-page. With folding map of the Gulf Stream and folding "Table of the Reformed Alphabet." Ford 551. See Howes F323; Sabin 25600; Ford 464. Contemporary owner signature dated 1824 to letterpress title pages. Bookseller ticket (I).

Text and plates quite fresh with only light scattered foxing. A highly desirable near-fine copy.