- Some quires sl. browned/ yellowed; occas. foxed; a few leaves sl. waterstained in margin. Upper joint of vol.1 restored at top end; binding of vol.2 sl. wormholed at lower end of upper joint; both vols. corner(s) sl. rubbed/ chafed.

= The extremely rare first edition of this seminal work, recognisable by the double "r" in the name of the publisher and by the alterations to the text in both volumes, which were made during the printing process, either by order of the authorities or by Montesquieu himself. These alterations are listed in Le Petit and in Tchemerzine, and are evident from the altered leaves being attached to the stubs of the cut-out leaves. Our copy comes with the errata leaf at the end of both volumes. "In many ways one of the most remarkable works of the eighteenth century, 'The Spirit of Law', owing in the main to the high plane of generalisation on which it is written, defies easy classification (...). Yet his theories underlay the thinking which led up to the American and French revolutions, and the United States Constitution in particular is a lasting tribute to the principles he advocated." (PMM 197). Le Petit 495; Tchemerzine VIII, p.459; Kress 4920; Goldsmiths' B-375. SEE ILLUSTRATION PLATE LXXXIV.