Carefully revised, corrected, and continued to the Year 1789, By Mr. Coombe. In
six volumes. Vol. I [-VI].
Dublin: Printed by
P. Byrne,
m.dcc.xc
. [1790.]
HF3504. A55
6 vol. 8vo. According to Jefferson’s manuscript and the Library of Congress 1815 catalogue Jefferson’s copy was complete in six volumes. Only the last volume is now in the
Jefferson library.
This edition not in McCulloch and not in Palgrave.
Contemporary tree calf; not initialled by Jefferson; with the Library of Congress 1815 bookplate.
Adam Anderson, 1692-1765, a native of Scotland, was a clerk in the South Sea House for forty years. The first edition of this work was
published in London, 1764, 2 vol. folio.
William Coombe, 1741-1823, is better known as the author of
Doctor Syntax
.
[3345]
[
i.e. “3545”--
Ed.]
J. 3
Smith’s enquiry into the causes of the wealth of nations.
3. v.
8
vo.
1815 Catalogue, page 104. no. 320, as above.
SMITH,
Adam.
An Inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. By Adam Smith, LL.D. and F.R.S. of London and Edinburgh: one of the Commissioners of His Majesty’s Customs in Scotland; and formerly Professor
of Moral Philosophy in the University of Glasgow. The
third edition, with additions, in
three volumes. Vol. I [-III].
London: Printed for
W. Strahan; and
T. Cadell,
mdcclxxxiv
. [1784.]
HB161 .S6 1784
8vo. 3 vol. 254, 265 and 261 leaves, advertisement on the last page.
Lowndes V, 2417.
Sabin 82304.
McCulloch, page 11 (not this edition).
Seligmann, page 112.
Half red morocco; some leaves waterstained. Not initialled by Jefferson. With the Library of Congress 1815 bookplate.
On May 30, 1790, in a letter to Thomas Mann Randolph recommending books for the study of law, Jefferson wrote: “
. . . in political oeconomy I think Smith’s wealth of nations the best book extant . . .”
Seventeen years later, on June 11, 1807, in a letter recommending books to John Norvell, Jefferson wrote: “
. . . if your views of political enquiry go further to the subjects of money & commerce, Smith’s wealth of nations is the
best book to be read, unless Say’s
Political economy can be had, which treats the same subjects on the same principles, but in a shorter compass & more lucid manner . . .
”
In Jefferson’s Prospectus for Destutt de Tracy’s
Treatise on Political Economy
, sent to Milligan for printing on April 6, 1816, one paragraph read:
Adam Smith, first in England, published a rational and systematic work on Political economy, adopting generally the ground
of the Economists, but differing on the subjects before specified. the system being novel, much argument and detail seemed
then necessary to establish principles which now are assented to as soon as proposed. hence his book, admitted to be able,
and of the first degree of merit, has yet been considered as prolix & tedious.
Jefferson made considerable use of Smith’s work, and frequently quoted from it, on the subject of banks and paper money. A
long letter to John W. Eppes on this subject, written from Monticello on November 6, 1813, contains numerous quotations from this book
and comments on them.
Adam Smith, 1723-1790, Scottish economist, was educated at Glasgow and Oxford. In 1763 he was appointed tutor to the Duke of Buccleugh
whom he accompanied to France and made the friendship of Quesnay, Helvétius, Turgot, the Abbé Morellet and others. The first
edition of the
Wealth of Nations appeared in 1776.
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