BOLINGBROKE, Henry St. John, Viscount (1678--1751)
[Works. 1777]
The works of the late Right Honorable Henry St. John, Lord Viscount Bolingbroke. In five volumes, complete. Published by David Mallet, Esq; ...
London: printed in the year, 1777.
5 vols ; 29.8 cm. (4º)
I: [4], lvii, [1], 563, [1] p., etch. frontis. port.
II: [4], 527, [1] p
III: [4], 561, [1] p.
IV: [4], 632 p.
V: [2], 567, [1] p.

First published under the editorship of David Mallet in 1754. The frontispiece portrait is dated 1738. Includes the life of the author by Oliver Goldsmith, vol. I, pp. i--xlvii. Bolingbroke was the last of the English Deists, a celebrated group of philosophers beginning with Lord Herbert of Cherbury. Although his thinking was more eloquently stated than original in conception or systematic in design, it could be definitely characterised as thoroughgoing rationalism. His Reflections concerning innate moral principles, London, 1752, written in French while in exile (1715--1725), aimed to prove that compassion and benevolence are founded on reason alone. As a proponent of natural as opposed to revealed religion, he rejected the supernatural and priestcraft aspects of Christianity. Volumes I--IV each with a table of contents. Two further volumes were published in 1798 with the title Letters and correspondence, public and private, of the Right Honourable Henry St. John, but half-titles reading 'The Works ... Vol. VI (VII).'. ESTC t139449; Lowndes I, 231.

Copy Notes Volume I inscribed in ink on front pastedown parallel to spine J.V. B.m. and in pencil with a cypher c: c: ~ st.; front free-endpaper with pencil price(?) 4 4-; rear pastedown with further pencil cypher a/ml 5V.

Binding C18th calf, gilt-tooled spines with floral and foliate motifs, red and black morocco spine-labels.

Reference Number 916