"THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK IN POLITICAL SCIENCE THAT HAS EVER BEEN WRITTEN IN THE UNITED STATES": THE FEDERALIST, 1802, THE IMPORTANT SECOND EDITION

HAMILTON, Alexander; JAY, John; and MADISON, James. The Federalist, on the New Constitution, by Publius, Written in 1788. To which is Added, Pacificus, on the Proclamation of Neutrality, Written in 1793. Likewise, The Federal Constitution, with All the Amendments. New York: George F. Hopkins, 1802. Two volumes. Octavo, period-style full brown calf gilt. $17,500.

The scarce and important second edition of The Federalist, the last published in Hamilton's lifetime, revised and edited with his approval, the first edition to publicly identify Hamilton, Madison and Jay as authors—"the most famous and influential American political work" (Howes).

This landmark edition, which appeared on December 8, 1802, was the last edition issued in Hamilton's lifetime. Revised and edited by George Hopkins with Hamilton's approval. it was this edition, also, that "publicly broke the poorly kept secrecy surrounding The Federalists authorship… by naming Hamilton, Madison and Jay as the authors" (Cooke, xv). "The 85 essays were designed as political propaganda, not as a treatise of political philosophy. In spite of this The Federalist survives as one of the new nation's most important contributions to the theory of government" (PMM 234). The Federalist essays together "exerted a powerful influence in procuring the adoption of the Federal Constitution… The true principles of a republican form of government are here unfolded with great clearness and simplicity. The essays written by Hamilton exhibit a richness, elegance and force" (Church 1230). "The United States has produced three historic documents of major importance: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and The Federalist" (Cooke, ix). As such, "The Federalist is the most important work in political science that has ever been written, or is likely ever to be written, in the United States. It is, indeed, the one product of the American mind that is rightly counted among the classics of political theory. This work has always commanded widespread respect as the first and still most authoritative commentary on the Constitution of the United States" (Clinton Rossiter). Preceded only by the extraordinarily rare 1788 first edition (and its 1799 re-issue of the same sheets with a new title page). Volume II with Hamilton's "Letters of Pacificus" defending Washington's 1793 Neutrality Proclamation and a printing of the Constitution with 11 amendments at rear; with advertisement leaf at rear of Volume II. Mispagination in Volume I as issued without affecting text. Shaw & Shoemaker 2218. Howes H114. Sabin 23981. Early owner signature on title page and table of contents of Volume II.

Scattered foxing to text, with marginal dampstaining to early leaves in Volume II, not touching text. Very handsomely bound.