Rare first edition of the first edition of Sir Richard Steele's political writings. No other examples on the market at the time of cataloguing. 

Steele was a staunch whig, viewing a representative Parliament as far superior to the monarchy. He believed in open dialogue and that an educated populace would lead to healthy self-governance. His ideas, promoted through the pages of The Tatler helped form the "conceived in liberty" framework of the American Colonies.

He was an advocate for dissenting churches and ministers, but against the Roman Catholic church, as it tended to a similar authoritarian posture as the monarchy he opposed. 

The present copy bears the bookplate of William Richards Castle [1849-1935]. Castle an important early politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii. When the Kingdom of Hawaii was overthrown in 1893, he was one of the chief voices lobbying for annexation. Much of his library centered on the South Seas and was bequeathed as a research collection to Harvard. 

Steele, Sir Richard. The Political Writings. London. Printed for J. T. and Sold by Owen Lloyd near the Church in the Temple, and J. Brown at the Black Swan, without Temple-Bar. 1715. First Edition. 308pp.

Includes:

*The Englishman's Thanks to the Duke of Marlborough. Written in the Year 1711.

*The Importance of Dunkirk Consider'd: In Defence of the Guardian. Of August the 7th, 1713. In A Letter to the Bailiff of Stockbridge. 

*The French Faith Represented in the Present State of Dunkirk. A Letter to the Examiner in Defence of Mr. S---le. 

*The Crisis: Or, A Discourse Representing, From the Most Authentick Records, The just Causes of the late Happy Revolution: And The Several Settlements of the Crowns of England and Scotland on Her Majesty; and on the Demise of Her Majesty without Issue, upon the Most Illustrious Princess Sophia, Electress and Dutchess Dowager of Hanover, and the Heirs of Her Body being Protestants; by Previous Acts of both Parliaments of the late Kingdoms of England and Scotland; and confirmed by the Parliament of Great Britain. With some Reasonable Remarks on the Danger of a Popish Successor. 

*A Letter to a Member of Parliament Concerning the Bill for Preventing the Growth of Schism.

*Mr. Steele's Apology for Himself and his Writings; Occasioned by his Expulsion from the House of Commons. 

 Probably later 18th century calf; some rubbing, but attractive. Blank ffep has a stain, otherwise solid and clean. A bit toned and handled.