‎(BONCERF, J.P.)‎
‎Inconvénients des Droits féodaux. Nouvelle édition, à laquelle on a joint que Montesquieu a écrit sur les Fiefs, dans les Livres XXX & XXXI de l'Esprit des Loix. A Paris, 1776. - (Bound with:) (MIRABEAU, H.G. RIQUETTI DE.) Essai sur le despotisme.‎

‎Londres, 1775. 2 volumes in 1. (1), 155, (1) pp.; 275, (3) pp. 8vo. Contemporary marbled calf, spine gilt with raised bands, red morocco label with gilt lettering, small damage to joint at the foot of the volume. First work: Kress 7193; not in Goldsmiths; not in Einaudi; this edition not in INED; cf: Camus 1566; Peinot, Livres Condamnés, i, p. 43 (with wrong date). Third edition, published in the same year as the first edition, first edition with this title. Pierre-François Boncerf, French writer on agrarian subjects. While a clerk in the ministry of finance under Turgot he published a pamphlet, Les inconvénients des droits féodaux. According to Palgrave the work was published with the consent of Turgot. In it he attacked the contemporary system of feudal dues as ruinous to those who pay them, of little advantage to its benificiaries and contrary to the principles of freedom. The solemn condemnation of the pamphlet by the parlement of Paris, which the king vetoed, and the ensuing controversy in the press, in which Voltaire took a prominent part, established Boncerf's reputation and resulted in the translation of the work into many European languages. The pages 70-end contain the relevant texts by Montesquieu. The first edition was published anonymously, the second edition under the assumed name M. Francaleu. Second work: Higgs 6537; INED 3188 (1831 edition); Martin & Walter 24430; not in Goldsmiths (see 11518 for the second edition).First edition. Philosophical and political study on despotism and its effects it pretents to refute the theories of Rousseau while the author in reality attacks straight forward the government. Of actual value seems again his remark 'La nation finit toujours par être plus puissante que le tyran lorsque le pouvoir arbitraire parvenu à son dernier délire a dissous tous les liens de l'opinion et épuisé les ressources que la terre offre à ceux qui la cultivent en liberté. Ainsi les hommes se vengent tôt ou tard.' 'Dans cet insolent libelle, intitulé Essai sur le Despotisme, sous couleur de réfuter les théories de Jean-Jacques sur la bonté naturelle de l'homme, l'auteur s'attaquait de front aux pouvoirs' (Duc de Castries, Mirabeau, p. 105). Important work proclaiming democratic ideas and openly attacking despotism: 'Après cette vue philosophique générale, l'ouvrage s'attaquait seulement au 'despotisme d'un seul'' (Duc de Castries, op.cit) ‎

Reference : 18836

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