‎AMERICA - (MAZZEI, F.)‎
‎Recherches historiques et politiques sur les États-Unis de l'Amérique Septentrionale, où l'on traite des établissements des treize colonies, de leurs rapports et de leurs dissentions avec la Grande-Bretagne, de leurs gouvernemens avant et après la révolution, etc. Avec quatre lettres d'un Bourgeois de New-Haven sur l'unité de la législation.‎

‎A Colle, et se trouve à Paris, Chez Froullé, 1788. 4 volumes. (4), xvi, 383, (1) pp.; (4), 259 pp.; (4), 292 pp.; (4), 366 pp. 8vo. Contemporary catspaw calf, gilt triple fillets on sides, spines richly gilt in compartments, a very nice copy. Sabin 47206; Leclerc 957; Howes M.456; Monaghan 1052; Muller 1612; Fay 24; Echeverria & Wilkie 788/65; Echeverria, p. 124; Einaudi 3807; not in Kress; not in Goldsmiths; not in JFBL. First edition. 'This work was conceived as a corrective reply to Raynal's Histoire Philosophique et Politique and Mably's Observations. It was suggested by William Short, Jefferson's secretary, and was written with Jefferson's assistance and approval.' Contains among others: Reflexions rédigées à l'occasion du Mémoire sur la manière dont la France & l'Espagne doivent envisager les suites de la querelle entre la Grande-Bretagne & ses Colonies (volume 3, pages 217-282), by A.R.J. Turgot, dated April 6, 1776 and published here for the first time, concerning a memoir by Vergennes written at the request of Louis XVI to assist the Conseil d'État in formulating a policy for France and Spain in regard to the American Revolution. Turgot explored the various possible outcomes with their probable consequences for France and predicted that the eventual independence of the U.S. would lead to the independence of other European colonies in America. He recommended arms sales to the U.S. but favored continued official neutrality and opposed direct military intervention' (Echeverria & Wilkie). Mazzei was an Italian physician who practised medicine in Smyrna and later, from 1755 to 1773, engaged in commerce in London. With several other Italians he came to the United States in December, 1773, to introduce the cultivation of the grape and the olive. He became a neighbor and friend of Thomas Jefferson. He actively supported the movement for independence and from 1779 to 1783 he was an agent for Virginia to obtain supplies in Italy. His Memorie della vita (Lugano, 2 volumes, 1845-1846) contains a lengthy account of his activities in Italy on behalf of Virginia (Monaghan, op.cit.) In the above work he was assisted by Condorcet who is the 'Bourgeois de New-Haven.' 'Compilation très exacte, qui réfute les théories de Mably et de Raynal et constitute un répertoire précieux de renseignements de tous ordres sur les États-Unis' (Fay). - Very good and attractive copy. ‎

Reference : 18775

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