Name/Title
[Franklin, B] Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical PiecesDescription
1st edition of the only edition of Franklin's writings (except his scientific pieces) written during his lifetime. It was done with Franklin's blessing and contains an errata written by him for the book.
Edited by his close friend Benjamin Vaughan and published in London while Franklin was serving as America's ambassador, this seminal collection contains many of his writings on the American as well as British measures such as the Stamp Act. Of particular interest is The Examination of Dr. Benjamin Franklin (255-301), a record of his 1766 appearance before Parliament. In Franklin's answers to the over 150 questions posed him in an afternoon of "highly charged testimony, he would turn himself into the foremost spokesman for the American cause" (Isaacson, 229). Responding to a question over how Americans might react to a British army sent to enforce the Stamp Act, Franklin replied that if such an army landed on American shores: "They will not find a rebellion: they may indeed make one" (275-6). In subsequent testimony he soundly declared that Americans saw themselves as fully due "all the privileges and liberties of Englishman… that they are not to be taxed but by their common consent (italics in original, 297). In addition to these and other pivotal writings—including pieces on the "Way to Wealth," language, scientific experiments and observations on the Aurora Borealis—this volume offers first printings of many philosophical pieces that, the editor notes, "are not elsewhere extant in print." Franklin's famous epitaph is printed prior to a lengthy appendix, an index, and Franklin's Addenda and Corrigenda. Preceded the same year by the rarely found quarto issue (Adams 79-38b). With engraved frontispiece portrait of the aged Franklin, three scientific plates (one folding), and folding table of a "reformed" spelling convention.
This copy is uncut and retains its original blue boards and paper spine label.Other Names and Numbers
Other Numbers
Number Type
ReferencesOther Number
Ford 342. Howes F330. Sabin 25565Condition
Overall Condition
Very GoodDate Examined
Sep 20, 2024