[Accarias de Serionne, Jacques]. La richesse de la Hollande, ouvrage dans lequel on expose l'origine du commerce & de la puissance des Hollandois; l'accroissement successif de leur commerce & de leur navigation; les causes qui ont contribue a leur progres, celles qui tendent a les detruire; & les moyens qui peuvent servir a les relever.

London, aux depens de la Compagnie, 1778.

Large 4to. 2 vols. bound in one. XVI, 384 pp. (4), 371, (9) pp. Contemporary half calf over marbled boards.

 1,500.00

First edition. A historical treatise on the commerce and trade of the Dutch Republic, the causes of its prosperity in the past, the reasons for its present decline, and the means for recovery. Most bibliographers attribute this book to the French lawyer Accarias de Serionne (1709-92), an opponent of the ideas of the philosophers and the Physiocrats. It has, however, also been attributed to the Dutch jurist, philosopher and bookseller Elie Luzac (1723-96) who published a Dutch book (Hollands rijkdom, 1780) which was only nominally a translation of the present French work. In the preface to the Dutch adaptation, Luzac wrote that he wished to demonstrate "in which way [...] such a book should be treated [...] even more so because [...] so many had thought him [Luzac] for the author of this [French] book'. An octavo edition appeared the same year.

Very light wear to top and foot of spine, wants the spine label. A strong and bright copy on large, untrimmed paper.

References

Kress B.96. Einaudi 4767. INED 13 & 2987bis. EHB 1245a.

Stock Code: BN#48603 Tags: , ,