Details
THOMAS ROBERT MALTHUS (1766-1834)
An Essay on the Principle of Population: or, A view of its past and present effects on human happiness. London: T. Bentley for J. Johnson, 1803. 4° (260 x 202mm). (Title and preliminaries spotted and slightly stained in upper gutter, some spotting of text, clean tear on S3, 2M4 and 2P1 with marginal tears, gutter of 2X1-2 slightly soiled and stained, 3A2 with lower corner torn away, 3R1 miscut at lower margin.) Contemporary half calf over marbled boards (rebacked, preserving old lettering-piece, corners restored).
Second edition. In the first edition of 1798, Malthus had proposed that population increases in a geometrical, and subsistence only in an arithmetical ratio, arguing that vice and misery therefore have to act as necessary 'checks' on the growth of population. He regarded this 'new ... very much enlarged edition' as a substantially new book, containing observations from his tour of the continent in 1799, and based on a wider reading of the appropriate literature. It fully recognises the 'prudential' check implicit in his earlier essay, and while pointing to their dangers ceases to regard the checks of vice and misery as insuperable obstacles to social improvement.
It is possible that this copy is from the library of the economist, politian and philanthropist Henry Thornton (1760-1815), whose An Enquiry into the Nature and Effects of the Paper Credit of Great Britain (London: 1802), is described by Malthus as 'valuable' on p.404. Although the inscription on the upper pastedown is not in Thornton's hand, it is possible that the marginal annotations--which show an informed and critical reading of the text--are by Thornton. Kress B.4701; Goldsmiths' 18640; cf. PMM 251.
An Essay on the Principle of Population: or, A view of its past and present effects on human happiness. London: T. Bentley for J. Johnson, 1803. 4° (260 x 202mm). (Title and preliminaries spotted and slightly stained in upper gutter, some spotting of text, clean tear on S3, 2M4 and 2P1 with marginal tears, gutter of 2X1-2 slightly soiled and stained, 3A2 with lower corner torn away, 3R1 miscut at lower margin.) Contemporary half calf over marbled boards (rebacked, preserving old lettering-piece, corners restored).
Second edition. In the first edition of 1798, Malthus had proposed that population increases in a geometrical, and subsistence only in an arithmetical ratio, arguing that vice and misery therefore have to act as necessary 'checks' on the growth of population. He regarded this 'new ... very much enlarged edition' as a substantially new book, containing observations from his tour of the continent in 1799, and based on a wider reading of the appropriate literature. It fully recognises the 'prudential' check implicit in his earlier essay, and while pointing to their dangers ceases to regard the checks of vice and misery as insuperable obstacles to social improvement.
It is possible that this copy is from the library of the economist, politian and philanthropist Henry Thornton (1760-1815), whose An Enquiry into the Nature and Effects of the Paper Credit of Great Britain (London: 1802), is described by Malthus as 'valuable' on p.404. Although the inscription on the upper pastedown is not in Thornton's hand, it is possible that the marginal annotations--which show an informed and critical reading of the text--are by Thornton. Kress B.4701; Goldsmiths' 18640; cf. PMM 251.
Provenance
Henry Thornton (early inscription [?in a clerk's hand] on upper pastedown).
Early pencilled glosses.
Dr Anton C.R. Dreesmann (inventory no. Y-76).
Early pencilled glosses.
Dr Anton C.R. Dreesmann (inventory no. Y-76).
Special notice
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