Code de la nature

Par-Tout (i.e. Paris or Liège), Chez le vrai Sage, 1755. Small 8vo. Lovely contemporary full mottled calf with five raised bands to richly gilt spine. And excellent nice, clean, and fresh copy, printed on good paper. Old owner's name to title-page and a bookplate to inside of front board (M. Ph. de Planterose). Title-page printed in red and black and with an engraved vignette. 236, (4) pp.

Herman H. J. Lynge & Son

William Schneider

Copenhagen, Denmark

Par-tout (Holland), Chez le vrai sage, 1760. 2 works bound in 1 volume. 130 pp.; 211, (5) pp. 12mo. Contemporary marbled calf, spine gilt with raised bands, label with gilt lettering, front cover with repair. First work: Not in Camus; Weller, ii, 129; Conlon 51:635 (listing an edition printed in 'Francfort et Leipsic' in 62 pages only); Holzmann & Bohatta, 11995; INED 1907 & 1872 (for Formey's work). One of at least two editions printed in the year of its first publication.Rare and important treatise on legal reform in which Frederic collaborated with Cujacius. The work is both historical and political and discusses the origins of law in Greece, Rome, France, England and Germany, their structure and classification and how national culture influences the development and adaptation of laws. Formey's treatise covers the pp. 86-130. It argues in favour of interest as long as the interest is "honnête". - Small stamp in blank portion of half-title.Second work: Kress 5457; INED 3318; Goldsmiths 9074; Einaudi 4031 (all listing the first edition); Le Bucher bibliographique, 780; Weller, ii, p. 140. According to Lichtenberger in his Le Socialisme au XVIIIe siècle, this is, if not the most important socialist work of the 18th century, at least one of the most important works, and it is the theoretical foundation of his famous Naufrage des isles flottantes; ou Basiliade .......'Morelly argued that the code of nature was completely communistic. Starting out from the proposition that moral evil, the essence of which was avarice, could be explained by social conditions Morelly portrayed and advocated an ideal communistic society in which it would be 'impossible to be depraved.' (.....) In many respects Morelly's system anticipates the rationalistic utopianism of Fourier' (Kingsley Martin in ESS, vol. xi, pp. 10 ff).Morelly was 'tremendously influential in inspiring utopian socialism, for his theories are reflected in almost every one of the schemes of the Utopian socialists. In fact we must regard him, if not the founder, at least as the most conspicious forerunner of the Utopian Socialists. (.....) Of the writers of his time he was the one who saw most clearly the need of a new system to replace the old; he alone was truly constructive, for he actually outlined a new social structure which he thought would meet the needs should ancient society be overthrown. While others deserve merit as critics and analysts and destroyers, he alone deserves the name of utopianist at this early period' (Hertzler, J.O. The history of Utopian Thought, p. 186 ff). The work was severely prosecuted in France. This edition was apparently printed in Holland and destined for the French market. - A very nice volume with two important texts.

1970 Editions Sociales, Paris - 1970 - In-12 broché, couverture illustrée - 155 pages

Librairie Le Père Pénard

Lyon, France

Raymond Clavreuil, 1950, in-8 br., 335 p., publié avec une introduction et des notes par Gilbert Chinard, frontispice, bon état.