On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation by David Ricardo - 1st American Edition

Author: Ricardo, David 
Title: On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation 
Publisher: Joseph Milligan 
Date: 1819 
Place: Georgetown 
Dimensions:  8vo. 23.5cm x 15cm 

viii + 448pp + viii(index). Untrimmed.

Very good minus, in original publisher's marbled boards, rubbed and chipped, with later paper spine; text with foxing and offsetting and occasional marginal finger-soiling, a handful of leaves with chips at corners from careless opening. Untrimmed. An original binding error places gathering (16), pp. 121–128, between gatherings (18) and (19), but the text is complete. Correct for this edition, Page 267 misnumbered 467, page 387 misnumbered 370 and page 437 misnumbered 436.

Printed by Milligan in response to many requests from members of Congress after favourable treatment of the first edition in the Edinburgh Review by McCulloch, who would become one of Ricardo’s greatest champions and an important figure in the history of Political Economy in his own right. In correspondence between the publisher and Thomas Jefferson, the retired president expresses skepticism of the work’s merit and cautions Milligan about “seeing your own by it”. In his response, Milligan thanks Jefferson and states that he intends to publish “a very small Edition say five or six hundred one half of which I will have engaged with the Members of Congress & officers of Government.”

This copy with the signature of Richard Coke Jr. - Virginian lawyer and Jacksonian candidate, who served as representative for the state in the 21st and 22nd United States Congresses (1829 – 1833) to the title page.

Occasional finger marks and smudges, here and there a chipped corner of carelessly opened leaves - very good minus overall, attractive in original boards.

The text of the First American edition was based on the true first of 1817. The same year this edition was published in the USA a second edition was printed in London.

Housed in a handsome clamshell case in marbled panels, with gilt ruling to leather spine and gilt titles to black compartment label.

22323 in Goldsmith

The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Retirement Series, vol. 13, 22 April 1818 to 31 January 1819, ed. J. Jefferson Looney. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016, p. 586.