An attractive set of <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=Great%20Expectations&amp;tab=objects&amp;sortBy=bsp_dotcom_prod_en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Great Expectations</a>, the most popular of <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/search?query=charles%20dickens&amp;tab=objects&amp;sortBy=bsp_dotcom_prod_en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dickens</a>’ novels, in a contemporary binding.&nbsp;<ul><li>Sold as a set of 3 volumes.</li><li>Charles Dickens (English).</li><li>London: Chapman &amp; Hall, 1861.&nbsp;</li><li>Octavos.</li><li>Second, second, and third ‘editions’ [impressions].</li><li>Contemporary half calf gilt over marbled boards, morocco labels. </li></ul>&nbsp;&nbsp;Although the title-pages states ‘Second and third editions’, in fact the first five editions are really only different impressions of the same edition. Apart from the title-pages the only differences are in the text where the type in the earliest impressions shows fewer signs of wear and damage. The title-pages were altered to encourage sales.&nbsp;

Great Expectations

The Jay T. Snider Collection of Benjamin Franklin

Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery

Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery An Address to the Public, from the Pennsylvania Society for promoting the Abolition of Slavery, and the Relief of Free Negroes, unlawfully held in Bondage. … Signed by order of the Society, B. Franklin, President. Philadelphia, 9th of November, 1789. [printed with:] Philadelphia, 26 October, 1789. At a meeting of the Pennsylvania Society for promoting the Abolition of Slavery, &c. An essay of a Plan for improving the condition of Free Negroes, was presented by the committee appointed to prepare it, which after deliberate consideration was adopted as follows, A Plan for improving the condition of the Free Blacks. Philadelphia: Printed by Francis Bailey, (1789) 2 letterpress handbills (348 x 210 mm) printed on the first and third pages of a full-sheet bifolium of laid paper (unwatermarked; preserving deckle on all edges), docketed on verso of second leaf “Address for the Abolition of Slavery; Also a plan for improving free Negroes”; central vertical fold nearly fully separated, but still conjunct at top, a number of short marginal separations at horizontal folds. Two vital manifestos of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery issued under the presidency of Benjamin Franklin. While the two statements were issued together and were actually printed on the same sheet of paper, they are each individually very rare and almost never found together, let alone still conjunct, as is the Snider set. We find only two instances in Rare Book Hub of the two texts being sold together, and in both cases they were disjunct: in the Ira Lipman library sold by us in 2021 and as part of a group of abolition publications sold by our London colleagues in 2016. We find no other copies of A Plan for improving the condition of the Free Blacks in the auction records at all and only two others of An Address to the Public, in 1978 and 1962. The two works were seemingly produced to be distributed together, however, since the first text, An Address, refers to “the annexed plan, which we have adopted, and which we conceive will essentially promote the public good, and the happiness of these our hitherto too much neglected fellow creatures.” The joint distribution of the two handbills is further demonstrated by the contemporary docket on the present copy, which references both texts. The Address to the Public provides an overview of the Society’s work and makes a solicitation for financial support: “It is with peculiar satisfaction we assure the friends of humanity, that in prosecuting the design of our association, our endeavours have proved successful, far beyond most sanguine expectations. … [W]e have ventured to make an important addition to our original plan, and do therefore, earnestly solicit the support and assistance, of all who can feel the tender emotions of sympathy and compassion, or relish the exalted pleasure of beneficence. “Slavery is such an atrocious debasement of human nature, that its very extirpation, if not performed with solicitous care, may sometimes open a source of serious evils. … To instruct; to advise; to qualify those who have been restored to freedom, for the exercise and enjoyment of civil liberty. To promote in them habits of industry; to furnish them with employments suited to their age, sex, talents, and other circumstances, and to procure their children an education calculated for their future situation in life. These are the great outlines of the annexed plan, which we have adopted, and which we conceive will essentially promote the public good, and the happiness of these our hitherto too much neglected fellow creatures. “A Plan so extensive cannot be carried into execution, without considerable pecuniary resources, beyond the present ordinary funds of the society. We hope much from the generosity of enlightened and benevolent freemen, and will gratefully receive any donations or Subscriptions for this purpose, which may be made to our treasurer, James Starr, or to James Pemberton, chairman, of our committee of correspondence.” The “annexed plan” describes the specific steps the Society will take to achieve its goals. “The business relative to Free Blacks, shall be transacted by a committee of twenty-four persons, annually elected by ballot, at the meeting of this society in the month called April, and in order to perform the different services, with expedition, regularity and energy; this committee shall resolve itself into the following sub-committees, viz.”: a committee of Inspection, a committee of Guardians, a committee of Education, and a committee of Employ. ESTC locates copies in six United States institutions, but it is unclear whether they are all actually complete with the second leaf of text; the Library of Congress copy, for example, appears to comprise An Address to the Public only. REFERENCES ESTC W4578; Bristol B7029; Lipman/Celebration 119; not in Evans ﻿

View 1 of Lot 140: Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery |The first United States abolition society, directed by Franklin

pennsylvania society for promoting the abolition of slavery |the first united states abolition society, directed by franklin

Benjamin Franklin Autograph letter signed ("B. Franklin") to Abbé André Morellet ("My very dear Friend"), with a six-line autograph postscript, 4 pages (334 x 213 mm, preserving deckle) on a bifolium of laid paper (watermarked arms of Amsterdam, countermarked IV), Philadelphia, 22 April 1787, an intimate, charming, and discursive letter covering a remarkably wide range of topics; very short marginal tear and three tiny pinholes at central horizontal fold, but withal in an exceptionally fine, fresh state of preservation. Half red morocco folding-case gilt, chemise. A delightful letter, reflecting on a great variety of subjects, from the Declaration of Independence to the keeping of cats, and from the joys of being back in America to the best methods of collecting taxes. Leonard W. Labaree, the inaugural editor of The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, described this letter as “one of Franklin’s best, written in his most delightful vein of intimate conversation with a dear friend.” Having returned some eighteen months earlier from his position as minister to France, Franklin thanks Morellet for his recent letters (30 October 1785 and 9 February 1786), “with the Pieces enclos’d, Productions of the Auteuil Academy of Belles Lettres,” observing that “It gives me infinite Pleasure to find that I shall retain a favourable Place in the Remembrance of the worthy and the Good, whose delightful & instructive Society I had the Happiness of enjoying while I resided in France.” He leaves little doubt, however, that he has made the correct decision in returning to America: “… I certainly did right in coming home. I am here in my Niche, in my own House, in the Bosom of my Family, my Daughter and Grandchildren, all about me, among my old Friends or Sons of my Friends who equally respect me; and all speak the same language with me; and you know that if a Man desires to be useful by the Exercise of his mental Faculties, he loses half their Force when in a Foreign Country, where he can only express himself in a language with which he is not well acquainted. In short I enjoy here every opportunity of doing Good, and everything else I could wish for, except Repose; and that I may soon expect, either by the Cessation of my Office [president of the executive council of Pennsylvania], which cannot last more than 3 years, or by ceasing to live.” In fact, the term of Franklin’s life ran virtually concurrent with that of his office: he died 17 April 1790, almost three years exactly after he wrote this letter to Morellet. Franklin then takes up a more public thread of thought, commenting on commerce, industry, and taxation: “I am of the same opinion with you respecting the Freedom of Commerce, in Countries especially where direct taxes are practicable. This will be our Case in times when our wide-extended Country fills up with inhabitants. But at present they are so sparsely settled, often 5 or 6 miles distant from one another in the back Countries, that the Collection of a direct Tax is almost impossible, the Trouble of the Collector’s going from House to House amounting to more than the value of the Tax. Nothing can be better express’d than your Sentiments are on this Point, where you prefer Liberty of Trading, Cultivating, Manufacturing, & even so (political) civil Liberty, this being affected but rarely, the others every Hour. Our debt occasion’d by the War, being heavy, we are under the Necessity of using Imports, and every Method we can think of to assist in raising a Revenue to discharge it; but in Sentiment we are well disposed to abolish Duties on Importation as soon as we can afford to do so.” In a stirring passage, Franklin, amused by propaganda being circulated in Europe, assures Morellet that American enthusiasm for Revolution and Independence has not waned. “Whatever may be reported by the English in Europe, you may be assured that our People are almost unanimous in being satisfied with the Revolution. Their unbounded Respect for all who were principally concern’d in it, whether as Warriors or Statesmen, and the enthusiastic Joy with which the Day of the Declaration of Independence is everywhere annually celebrated, are indisputable Proofs of this Truth.” With liberty comes the right to take a contrarian view, and Franklin admits that there is some of that about, but that the strength and growth of the American economy is further proof of the success of the Revolution. “In one or two of the States there have been some Discontents on partial and local subjects; these may have been fomented, as the Accounts of them are exaggerated, by our Ancient Enemies; but they are now nearly supress’d, and the rest of the States enjoy Peace and good Order, and flourish amazingly. The Crops have been good for several Years past, the price of Country Produce high from Foreign Demand, and it fetches ready Money; Rents are high in our Towns, which increase fast by new Buildings; Laborers & Artisans have High Wages well paid; and vast Tracts of new land are continually clearing and render’d fit for Cultivation.” Picking up a completely different topic, Franklin advises Morellet at some length about the disposition of the cats of Mme. Helvetius. Morellet had commented that, just as Franklin had observed in his essay “On Peopling Countries,” the cats increased in proportion to the means of subsistence, and he had suggested that Mme. Helvetius ship them off to America to live off of the plentiful squirrels and rats. Franklin responds, “Your project of Transporting, rather than drowning, the good Lady’s eighteen cats, is very humane. The kind Treatment they experience from their present Mistress, may possibly cause an Unwillingness to Hazard the Change of Situation, but if they are of the Angora breed, and can be inform’d how two of their Tribe brought over by my Grandson are caress’d and almost ador’d here, they may possibly be induc’d to transport themselves rather than risque any longer the Persecution of the Abbé’s, which sooner or later must end in their Condemnation. Their Requéte is admirably well written; but their continually Increasing in Number will in time make their Cause insupportable. Their Friends should therefore advise them to submit voluntarily either to Transport—or to Castr—ation.” As he nears the end of his letter, Franklin again comments on Morellet’s recent writings, as well as the satisfaction he derived from the reception he received upon his return from France—but also shows that he understands the vagaries of public popularity. “The Remarks of a Grammarian on the Particle on, are full of Wit, and just Satire. My Friends here who understand French have been highly entertain’d with them. They will do good if you publish them. They have had some Effect upon me, as you will see in this Letter: For where I spoke of the prosperous State of our Affairs here, fearing you might suppose that I thought all well because I myself had a Profitable Place, I found it proper to add other Reasons. Your taking the Pains of Translating the Addresses, is a strong Mark of the Continuance of your Friendship for me, which gave me as much Pleasure as the Addresses themselves had done, and that you may well believe, was not a little: For indeed the Reception I met with on my arrival, far exceded my Expectation. Popular Favour, not the most Constant Thing in the World, still continues with regard to me, my Election to the Presidentship for the second year being unanimous. Whether it will hold out till the end of the third, is uncertain. A man in high place has so many Occasions, which he cannot avoid, of Disobliging, if he does his Duty; and those he Disobliges have so much more resentment, than those he obliges, have Gratitude, that it often happens, when he is strongly attack’d, he is weakly defended. You will therefore not wonder if you should hear that I do not finish my Political Career with the same Éclat that I began it.” In closing, Franklin philosophically commiserates with Morellet on his ill health: “It grieves me to learn that you have been afflicted with Sickness. It is as you say, the Condition of Living, but it seems a hard Condition. I sometimes wonder that all good Men and Women are not by Providence kept free of Pain and Disease. In the best of all possible Worlds, I should suppose it must be so; and I am piously inclin’d to believe that this World’s not being better made was owing merely to the badness of the Materials.” In the letter by Leonard Labaree quoted above (13 November 1958, to Nathaniel E. Stein), Labaree also discusses the importance of this autograph letter in establishing an accurate text. Before the original appeared at auction in 1958, the letter was known only by a very corrupt and truncated version based on a partial letterpress copy and an English re-translation of an abridged and garbled French translation that Morellet published in his 1821 Memoirs. The letter remains unpublished, but will be included in a forthcoming volume of The Papers of Benjamin Franklin; in the meantime, the text, without editorial apparatus, is available at franklinpapers.org. PROVENANCE "New York Collector" (Parke-Bernet, New York, November 5, 1958, lot 84) — Nathaniel E. Stein (Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, January 30, 1979, lot 56) — Frederick Richard Nederlander — The Frederick Richard Nederlander Trust

View 1 of Lot 138: Benjamin Franklin | "the Day of the Declaration of Independence is everywhere annually celebrated"

benjamin franklin | "the day of the declaration of independence is everywhere annually celebrated"

Benjamin Franklin Autograph letter signed ("BFranklin") to Dr. Edward Bancroft ("Dear Sir"), 2 pages (238 x 188 mm) on a single leaf of laid paper (unwatermarked), Philadelphia, 25 November 1786, discussing his plans for an autobiography and the future of the nascent United States; trace of album mount at left edge. Half green morocco folding-case, red morocco labels. An exceptional letter to Edward Bancroft—friend, physician, secretary to the American legation in Paris (and double-agent for England)—revealing the genesis of “the most widely read of all American autobiographies” (Grolier/American 21). Benjamin Franklin's autobiography has been said to “hold the essence of the American way of life,” and it was a text that Franklin long labored over. He completed the manuscript for the early years of his life (though 1731, when he was twenty-five) in 1771, but his many other interests and the American Revolution conspired to prevent him from taking the story further. A request from publisher Charles Dilly for a new uniform edition of Franklin's works, however, caused the polymath to consider again taking up his autobiography. Edward Bancroft had written to Franklin on 5 September 1786, reporting that Franklin’s “Philosophical Works are out of Print in this Country, and so is the Political Volume Published by Mr. B. Vaughan.” In light of this, Bancroft continued, “Mr. Dilly and one or two other Eminent Booksellers have therefore determined on Printing a new Elegant Edition of every thing of yours both Philosophical and Political which has yet appear’d or which can be procured in time; the Work being already in part sent to the Press. … To this Edition it is intended to fix an Account of the Author written by one of the Writers of the Biographia Brittanica, who I am told will accord with the Wishes of your Friends at least so far as the Writers Knowledge of Facts may enable him to be accurate and do you justice. … Having some reason to believe that among the Papers which you had left in America during the late War, as well as among those which you carried from Europe, there might be some that you would willingly see added to the intended Edition of your Works, I determined to give you this account of what was in Agitation and advised the Editors (particularly Mr. Dilly) to keep the impression unfinished until I could hear from you respecting it, which they have promised to do. If therefore you should have any thing to add to the materials before mentioned, I could wish that you or your Grandson, would take the trouble [of] sending it to me here, and if he should know and think proper to add any facts that might enable me to Correct or improve the Proposed Biographical part, I shall receive them with thanks and endeavour to make a becoming use of them.” Franklin quickly responded in the present letter, and while clearly flattered by the prospect of a new collected edition of his writings, he also expresses the desire that his earlier publishers be treated fairly. He further makes clear that the intended biographical notice of himself will almost certainly be unsatisfactory, but that he has been convinced by friends to write the story of his own life: “I received your kind Letter of Sept. 5. informing me of the Intention Mr. Dilly has of printing a new Edition of my Writings, and of his Desire that I would furnish him with such Additions as I may think proper. At present all my Papers and Manuscripts are so mixt with other things by the Confusions occasioned in sudden and various Removals during the late Troubles, that I can hardly find any thing. But having nearly finished an Addition to my House, which will afford me Room to put all in Order, I hope soon to be able to comply with such a Request; But I hope Mr. Dilly will have a good Understanding in the Affair, with Henry and Johnson, who having risqu’d the former Impressions may suppose they thereby acquir’d some Right in the Copy. As to the Life propos’d to be written, if it be by the same hand who furnish’d a Sketch to Dr. Lettsom, which he sent me, I am afraid it will be found too full of Errors for either you or me to correct: And having been persuaded by my Friends Messrs Benja Vaughan, M. Le Veillard, Mr. James of this Place, and some others, that such a Life written by my self may be useful to the rising Generation, I have made some Progress in it, and hope to finish it this Winter. So I cannot but wish that Project of Mr Dilly’s Biographer may be laid aside. I am nevertheless thankful to you for your Friendly Offer to correcting it.” Unfortunately, Franklin's projection of a completion date for his memoir was far too optimistic. His 1771 manuscript first appeared in Paris in 1791 in an unauthorized French translation that was wedded to a translation of Wilmer's Memoirs of Franklin for the period after 1731 (see lot 145). The English text first appeared in 1793, and although its author never formally completed it, Franklin's Autobiography has indeed been very useful to later generations. Franklin was very familiar with all of the publishers that he mentions here. David Henry and Joseph Johnson had both previously published volumes by Franklin (see lots 59, 120), and in 1787, Dilly did issue the new edition of Franklin's Philosophical and Miscellaneous Papers, which Franklin alludes to in this letter (see lot 137). (Dilly was later to publish the first edition of James Boswell's Life of Johnson.) After informing Franklin of “what was in Agitation” regarding the pending new edition of his works, Bancroft admitted “I have very little to say to you in the way of News.” Still, he alludes to the Eden Treaty, an anticipated commercial agreement between Britain and France, and observes that “There does not appear the smallest probability of any Commercial Treaty between this Country and the United States.” Franklin picks up this theme in the closing paragraph of his response, predicting a bright future for the youthful United States, despite some festering factionalist disputes, including the recently quelled Shay's Rebellion in Massachusetts, and hinting at a coming federal constitution: “As to Public Affairs, it is long since I gave over all Expentations of a Commercial Treaty between us and Britain; and I think we can do as well or better without one than she can. Our Harvests are plenty, our Produce fetches a high Price in hard Money and there is in every Part of our Country incontestible Marks of public Felicity. We discover indeed some Errors in our general and particular Constitutions; which is no wonder they should have, the time in which they were formed being considered. But those we shall mend. The little Disorders you have heard of in some of the States, rais’d by a few wrong Heads are subsiding, and will probably soon be extinguis’d. My best Wishes and those of my Family attend you. We shall be happy to see you here when it suits you to visit us: being with sincere and great Esteem my dear Friend, Yours most affectionately. …” REFERENCES Franklin’s letter to Bancroft, as well as the Bancroft letter to which it is an answer, both remain unpublished, but they will be included in a forthcoming volume of The Papers of Benjamin Franklin; in the meantime, the texts, without editorial apparatus, are available at franklinpapers.org. PROVENANCE Christie’s New York, 28 November 1983, lot 311 (undesignated consignor) — James S. Copley (Sotheby’s New York, 13 December 2011, lot 259)

View 1 of Lot 136: Benjamin Franklin | “a Life written by my self may be useful to the rising Generation”

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