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[George Washington, his copy]. Frederic II. Posthumous Works. Volume XII. Correspondence: Letter between Frederic II and M...
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Description
Washington's signed copy of a volume of Frederic II's correspondence
[George Washington, his copy]. Frederic II. Posthumous
Works. Volume XII. Correspondence: Letter between Frederic II and
Mess. D'Alembert, de Condorcet, Grimm and d'Arget. Translated
by Thomas Holcroft. London: Printed for G. G. J. and J. Robinson,
1789.Volume XII (of 13) only, 8vo (206 x 126 mm). Half-title. Contemporary sheep gilt, red morocco spine label.
GEORGE WASHINGTON'S COPY, WITH HIS AUTOGRAPH SIGNATURE ("Go: Washington") on the title-page.
Frederick II frequently mentions the American Revolution in these letters, usually in terms that Washington, as commander of the American forces, must have found pleasing. For example, in his letter to French philosopher and mathematician, Jean Le Rond D'Alembert, 13 August 1777, he writes: "You wish to know what I think of the conduct of the English. I think with the public they have sinned against good faith, by not keeping the compact which they had made with their colonies; and, by an ill-timed declaration of war, against one of the American states, from which nothing but evil could result. The English were stupidly ignorant of the strength of the colonies; and imagined they might be subjected by general Gage, with five or six thousand men. They have hired troops without having provided transports to convey them to America; they have bought provisions in the London markets for an army which was to fight in Pennsylvania; in fine there are no kind of blunders with which they may not be reproached" (p. 99). This first English edition of Frederick II's writings, translated from the French by Thomas Holcroft, was published the same year as Washington's inauguration as the first President of the United States.
Condition: Upper cover detached; rear joint cracked; spine rubbed and with some cracks; a few scrapes or abrasions to covers. Some foxing and pale spotting; internal tear on front free endpaper.
References: ESTC T103849.
Provenance: American Art Association, 21 January 1926 (sold at the time with three other volumes from this work); sold separately Sotheby's, 25 April 1989, lot 24, for $33,000.
Auction Info
2024 July 25 Historical Platinum Signature® Auction #6294 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
July, 2024
25th
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