An Essay Concerning Human Understanding

by John Locke 

First American edition, three volumes.  Boston:  David Carlisle, 1803 

Hardback is overall in VERY GOOD- condition.

• Leatherbound covers have red labels and gilt at spine. 
• Boards show some wear, smudges, scuffing, edgewear.  Corners are worn, with exposed board.  See photos.  
• Spine has gilt bands, red morocco label with gilt text, and is worn, with chipped ends.  See photos.  
• Binding is fragile, with cracking at covers. 
• Pastedowns and feps have some moderate foxing, staining, owner's marks.
• Foldout sheet with Analysis of Mr. Locke's Doctrine of Ideas is present at front of Volume I.
• Interior is tanned, exhibits moderate foxing, some smudges, edgewear, a couple of chipped corners.  See photos. 
• Inside pages are free of writing and intentional marks.
• Text block edges have some staining, foxing. 
• PS2025.1015

328 + 368 + 331 pages. 4 1/8 x 7 inches

The First American edition, from the twentieth London edition.  Three volumes in contemporary calf covers, with patterned edges and spines with gilt bands, morocco title and volume labels with gilt text.  Boards show wear commensurate with age and use; text block is tanned but retains legibility; large fold-out sheet is entire and attached, although split at some folds.

An Essay Concerning Human Understanding is a work by John Locke (1632-1704) concerning the foundation of human knowledge and understanding, first published in London in 1689 (dated 1690).  Locke describes the mind at birth as a blank slate (tabula rasa, although he did not use those actual words) filled later through experience.  The essay was one of the principal sources of empiricism in modern philosophy.  The enduring importance of Locke's work is shown by the publication in Boston of this first American edition.

On the end paper of Volume 2 is the inscription, "Salmon Wheaton, Y. College."  Salmon Wheaton was born in Litchfield CT, educated at Yale, and ordained in the Episcopal Church in 1808.

Volume 3 bears the name "Samuel L. Pearson (sic)."

First American Edition, from the Twentieth London edition, as per the title page.

Please see photos. More photos available upon request.

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