[MELON, Jean François].

Essai politique sur le commerce. Nouvelle édition, augmentée de sept chapitres, & où les lacunes des éditions précédentes sont remplies.

[N. p.,] 1761. 12mo, pp. [iv], 399, [2] contents, [1] blank; early ink note to the front free endpaper; light marginal waterstain to the first few leaves, else a very nice copy, clean and crisp, in contemporary mottled calf, lightly rubbed, spine decorated gilt, with a gilt morocco lettering-piece. Final edition (first 1734). ‘Although formerly secretary to John Law, Melon opposed his views … Vivid memories of Law’s financial schemes, less than a decade and a half after their collapse, must have contributed to the extraordinary success of this book, of which there were several counterfeit editions. Twenty in all were published, including translations into Danish, English, Italian, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. Charles Dutot, formerly cashier of Law’s Compagnie des Indes, defended Law [in Réflexions politiques sur les finances et le commerce, 1738]. The defense was popular, but not nearly so much as the attack, there being only 6 editions between 1738 and 1754’ (Carpenter). ‘The “inside” account of the système of J. Law, which Melon gives, is important. He favoured slavery in the colonies, the mercantile system, and the balance of commerce; but he did not support a protective system as at present understood, and was aware that the interest of the consumer precedes that of the producer. He shows a mind which might have been favourably influenced by Quesnay and Adam Smith, had he lived half a century later’ (Palgrave II, 724).Carpenter XIII (17); Goldsmiths’ 9675; Higgs 2481; Kress 5949; this edition not in Einaudi; see INED 3123 for the first edition.

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