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THOMPSON, William (1785?-1833). Appeal of one half of the human race, Women, against the pretensions of the other half, Men, to retain them in political, and thence in civil and domestic, slavery; in reply to a paragraph of Mr. Mill's celebrated "Article on government". London: Richard Taylor for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green, and Wheatley & Adlard, sold at the London Co-Operative Society's Office, 1825.
8° (211 x 132mm). Collation: A-P8. Title (imprint on verso), pp.[iii]-iv 'Introductory letter to Mrs. Wheeler' (i.e. list of contents), pp.[v]-xiv 'Introductory letter to Mr.Wheeler', pp.[1]-213 text (p.214 blank and unpaginated), pp.[215]-221 index, p.[222] errata and addenda, p.[223] advert for works '...connected with the Co-operative System of Political Economy.. sold at the Office of the London Co-operative Society...' (imprint on verso). Modern half-calf by Kissane and Herbert of Cork.
FIRST EDITION of an important early work on women's rights by one of the founders of scientific socialism. Thompson's most influential work is his Distribution of Wealth, in this he 'incidentally advocated the equal rights of men and women. He deplored what he regarded as the fatal consequences of depriving women of the educational advantages enjoyed by men... [The present work] was largely aimed at a passage in James Mill's 'Essay on Government', and it had great influence in moulding John Stuart Mill's views on the same subject.' (DNB). J.S. Mill characterised him (in his autobiography) as a 'very estimable man with whom I was well acquainted'. The present work ends with a 'Concluding Address to Women': a clarion call which begins 'Women of England! women, in whatever country ye breathe - wherever ye breathe, degraded - awake! Awake to the contemplation of the happiness that awaits you when all your faculties of mind and body shall be fully cultivated and developed; when every path in which ye can exercise those improved faculties shall be laid open and rendered delightful to you, even as to them who now ignorantly enslave and degrade you.'
8° (211 x 132mm). Collation: A-P8. Title (imprint on verso), pp.[iii]-iv 'Introductory letter to Mrs. Wheeler' (i.e. list of contents), pp.[v]-xiv 'Introductory letter to Mr.Wheeler', pp.[1]-213 text (p.214 blank and unpaginated), pp.[215]-221 index, p.[222] errata and addenda, p.[223] advert for works '...connected with the Co-operative System of Political Economy.. sold at the Office of the London Co-operative Society...' (imprint on verso). Modern half-calf by Kissane and Herbert of Cork.
FIRST EDITION of an important early work on women's rights by one of the founders of scientific socialism. Thompson's most influential work is his Distribution of Wealth, in this he 'incidentally advocated the equal rights of men and women. He deplored what he regarded as the fatal consequences of depriving women of the educational advantages enjoyed by men... [The present work] was largely aimed at a passage in James Mill's 'Essay on Government', and it had great influence in moulding John Stuart Mill's views on the same subject.' (DNB). J.S. Mill characterised him (in his autobiography) as a 'very estimable man with whom I was well acquainted'. The present work ends with a 'Concluding Address to Women': a clarion call which begins 'Women of England! women, in whatever country ye breathe - wherever ye breathe, degraded - awake! Awake to the contemplation of the happiness that awaits you when all your faculties of mind and body shall be fully cultivated and developed; when every path in which ye can exercise those improved faculties shall be laid open and rendered delightful to you, even as to them who now ignorantly enslave and degrade you.'