LOCKE, JOHN.] An Essay concerning Humane Understanding. In Four Books. London: Printed by Eliz. Holt for Thomas Basset 1690. Folio, 325 x 194mm. (12 13/16 x 7 5/8in.), contemporary red morocco, covers with double gilt fillet enclosing a central gilt panel of the same fillet with stylized floral devices at each corner, spine in seven compartments with six raised bands, an elaborately framed gilt device in each compartment, board edges gilt, g.e., upper joint with 1 1/2-inch split at top, tips of corner discreetly restored, a few slight scratches and a tiny stain on upper cover, occasional minor spotting and foxing, maroon quarter morocco slipcase by Macdonald. FIRST EDITION, the issue with the cancelland title (containing the "Eliz. Holt" imprint, the "SS" of "Essay" correctly printed and the typographical ornament aligned), PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY LOCKE on the front fly-leaf "For Mrs Duke" and inscribed by the recipient "Isabella Duke her Book given her by the Author"; also containing 60 ADDITIONAL ERRATA, probably in Locke's hand, neatly listed in three columns under the printed errata on [a2v], with all of the errata (i.e. printed and additional) corrected throughout the text. Grolier English 36; Pforzheimer 599; PMM 164; Wing L-2738. Isabella Duke and Locke first met in 1686 while in exile in Holland. Mrs. Duke was the sister of Walter Duke, a Devonshire baronet and a former supporter of Lord Shaftesbury's in Parliament. Although the exact nature of Locke's relationship with her remains unknown, Mrs. Duke became a frequent correspondent and a warm friendship developed between them. Damaris Masham jokingly referred to her as Locke's "Dutch Mistress". In a letter from Mrs. Duke to Locke dated 21 November 1690 ( The Correspondence of John Locke , edited by E.S. De Beer, Oxford 1979, vol. 4, letter no. 1341) she responded to his gift: "I was lately made Happy by the receit of yours on 13th: instant, which brought me new assurances of your Friendship, and that I have still a place in your Memory and affections, which is necessary to my wellbeing. You have highly obliged me also by the Present you have made me, which I Vallue more then I can express, nothing in the World could be so acceptable to me; and afford me so much pleasure, and improvement too; as the frequent reading of it, which is secured by its being put into my possession; I esteem it above all riches, and can never enough thank you for it." Two other copies are known to exist with similar manuscript corrections, one of which is a presentation copy to Locke's close friend James Tyrrell (1642-1719). Another presentation copy, inscribed "The Gift of the Author" (recipient unknown), in an identical red morocco binding, was recently sold by Ximenes (Catalogue 100/115, $85,000). Peter H. Nidditch, in his introduction to the Clarendon edition of An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (Oxford 1975), writes of the corrections that they "seem to represent a very early revision of the First Edition; that they are authentically Lockeian is confirmed by the fact that they almost completely correspond to revisions to be found in the text of the Second Edition." A FINE PRESENTATION COPY OF ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS IN THE LITERATURE OF PHILOSOPHY. Provenance : Isabella Duke, inscription as above -- Jo. Walrond, eighteenth-century signature almost washed out on fly-leaf -- Mortimer L. Schiff, morocco label -- John M. Schiff, by descent (sale, Sotheby's New York, 11 December 1990, lot 208).
LOCKE, JOHN.] An Essay concerning Humane Understanding. In Four Books. London: Printed by Eliz. Holt for Thomas Basset 1690. Folio, 325 x 194mm. (12 13/16 x 7 5/8in.), contemporary red morocco, covers with double gilt fillet enclosing a central gilt panel of the same fillet with stylized floral devices at each corner, spine in seven compartments with six raised bands, an elaborately framed gilt device in each compartment, board edges gilt, g.e., upper joint with 1 1/2-inch split at top, tips of corner discreetly restored, a few slight scratches and a tiny stain on upper cover, occasional minor spotting and foxing, maroon quarter morocco slipcase by Macdonald. FIRST EDITION, the issue with the cancelland title (containing the "Eliz. Holt" imprint, the "SS" of "Essay" correctly printed and the typographical ornament aligned), PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY LOCKE on the front fly-leaf "For Mrs Duke" and inscribed by the recipient "Isabella Duke her Book given her by the Author"; also containing 60 ADDITIONAL ERRATA, probably in Locke's hand, neatly listed in three columns under the printed errata on [a2v], with all of the errata (i.e. printed and additional) corrected throughout the text. Grolier English 36; Pforzheimer 599; PMM 164; Wing L-2738. Isabella Duke and Locke first met in 1686 while in exile in Holland. Mrs. Duke was the sister of Walter Duke, a Devonshire baronet and a former supporter of Lord Shaftesbury's in Parliament. Although the exact nature of Locke's relationship with her remains unknown, Mrs. Duke became a frequent correspondent and a warm friendship developed between them. Damaris Masham jokingly referred to her as Locke's "Dutch Mistress". In a letter from Mrs. Duke to Locke dated 21 November 1690 ( The Correspondence of John Locke , edited by E.S. De Beer, Oxford 1979, vol. 4, letter no. 1341) she responded to his gift: "I was lately made Happy by the receit of yours on 13th: instant, which brought me new assurances of your Friendship, and that I have still a place in your Memory and affections, which is necessary to my wellbeing. You have highly obliged me also by the Present you have made me, which I Vallue more then I can express, nothing in the World could be so acceptable to me; and afford me so much pleasure, and improvement too; as the frequent reading of it, which is secured by its being put into my possession; I esteem it above all riches, and can never enough thank you for it." Two other copies are known to exist with similar manuscript corrections, one of which is a presentation copy to Locke's close friend James Tyrrell (1642-1719). Another presentation copy, inscribed "The Gift of the Author" (recipient unknown), in an identical red morocco binding, was recently sold by Ximenes (Catalogue 100/115, $85,000). Peter H. Nidditch, in his introduction to the Clarendon edition of An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (Oxford 1975), writes of the corrections that they "seem to represent a very early revision of the First Edition; that they are authentically Lockeian is confirmed by the fact that they almost completely correspond to revisions to be found in the text of the Second Edition." A FINE PRESENTATION COPY OF ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS IN THE LITERATURE OF PHILOSOPHY. Provenance : Isabella Duke, inscription as above -- Jo. Walrond, eighteenth-century signature almost washed out on fly-leaf -- Mortimer L. Schiff, morocco label -- John M. Schiff, by descent (sale, Sotheby's New York, 11 December 1990, lot 208).
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