"THE MORE WE FAMLIARIZE OURSELVES TO THE IDEA OF A SEPARATION, THE LESS SURPRISED, AND THE MORE PREPARED WE SHALL BE WHENEVER THAT EVENT SHALL HAPPEN": JOSIAH TUCKER'S FOUR TRACTS, 1776, REGARDING THE IMMINENT SEPARATION BETWEEN BRITAIN AND THE AMERICAN COLONIES

TUCKER, D.D., Josiah. Four Tracts, on Political and Commercial Subjects. Glocester: Printed by R. Raikes, 1776. Octavo, modern half calf and marbled boards. $950.

Third edition (second revised), of Tucker's four tracts in which he further develops his case for Britain granting independence to her American colonies, a controversial stance that he had adopted as early as 1766.

"Tucker's developing attitude to the American colonies was motivated neither by a belief in free trade nor by any sympathy for the Americans themselves, a people he came to see as grasping and ungrateful. Their rapid economic growth and dislike of regulation would, he believed, eventually lead them to separate from Britain through self-interest. He argued that all colonies historically had their date of independence and, concerned that their radical political ideas would eventually infect Britain, he advocated as early as 1766 the separation of Britain and her American colonies… Tucker returned again and again to the need for a political separation in a series of tracts and sermons that he had republished on the eve of the final crisis as Four Tracts with Two Sermons (1774)" (ODNB).

To historian Salim Rashid, "it was not Tom Paine, but the Rev. Josiah Tucker who provided the first closely reasoned argument for American Independence… as early as 1766, before the Americans themselves had considered this eventuality." While "Tucker analyzed the American conflict more accurately than his contemporaries… so different were his views from all those around him that he has been noted… a 'visionary' (Trevelyan), or a 'fanatic' (Clark)" (Rashid, 439). Tucker saw separation as an inevitability, while pointing out the hypocrisy of American attitudes toward Native Americans and the practice of slavery. The Four Tracts would be reprinted in 1776 to coincide with the issuing of the Declaration of Independence. Stated "Third Edition" the first edition and the second edition (first revised) were published in 1774. This edition includes the "Four Tracts" but not the "Two Sermons" included in the first edition. Bound with half title. See American Controversy 74-80b. Howes T384. Sabin 97348. ESTC N6964. Goldsmiths' 11397. Institutional stamp to title page, withdrawal stamp on last page of text.

Interior generally clean, a few leaves with short closed tears, shallow chipping along top edge of half title.