RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND THE LAW: PRIESTLEY'S ANSWER TO BLACKSTONE'S COMMENTARIES, 1773 AMERICAN EDITION

(BLACKSTONE, William) PRIESTLEY, Joseph, et al. [An Interesting Appendix to Sir William Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England]. Philadelphia: Robert Bell, 1773. Octavo, contemporary full brown sheep rebacked, raised bands, original red morocco spine label; pp. [2], iv, [5]-119, [1]; xii, 155, [1]. $3500.

Second American edition (published only one year after the first) of this primary source on religious toleration in the context of English common law, with rebuttals, replies, arguments and defenses.

In his Commentaries, Blackstone classified religious non-conformity as a crime, intimating that Protestant "dissenters" were disloyal citizens and that the Church of England should be the ultimate authority. First published in Dublin (1769) and in Philadelphia (1772), this work consists of a refutation of Blackstone's argument by liberal theologian and defender of religious freedom Joseph Priestley, who notes that "the manner in which Dr. Blackstone has treated the Dissenters, is such as I should not have expected from a person of a liberal education… who being so perfectly skilled in the laws of his country, should have been better acquainted with the inhabitants of it." The Appendix additionally contains not only Blackstone's reply to Priestley's remarks, but also Priestley's answer to Blackstone's reply, Philip Furneaux's letters to Blackstone, the argument of Justice Foster in the case of Evans v. Harrison, and the speech of Lord Mansfield in defense of Evans. Aside from being the first complete collection of works on the controversy, the American editions of Priestley's Appendix presented the issue of religious tolerance at a crucial period in American history. His arguments served to temper Blackstone's tremendous influence on early American law, and undoubtedly affected the debate over the separation of Church and State. Additional title pages for each section. Bound without general title page; all four sectional title pages are present. Evans 12684. Hildeburn 2859. Sabin 5697. Marvin, 589. Sweet & Maxwell I, 29-30. Harvard Law Catalogue II, 394. NYU, 34-35. Early owner ink signatures to first title page.

Some mild spotting and embrowning to text; light expert restoration to original sheep boards. Very good in contemporary sheep boards.