Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison … With large additions, chiefly unpublished, collected and edited by Henry G. Bohn.

Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison with Notes by Richard Hurd, D.D. A New Edition With Large Additions, Chiefly Unpublished, Collected and Edited by Henry G. Bohn. 6 volumes.

Author: Addison, Joseph & Henry G. Bohn (ed.)

12mo (4.5" x 7.25") 1881. 6 volumes. Addison, Joseph. London: George Bell and Sons. Half tan polished calf with corners, double blind stamp rule to all leather edges, over marbled boards. Spine with five gilt decorated raised bands, gilt author/title on gilt framed red leather to second compartment, gilt vol# on gilt framed green leather to the third compartment, heavy gilt filigree devices to all others. Marbled endpapers, all edges marbled. Armorial bookplate of Sarah M. Spooner to front pastedowns. Corners bumped and rubbed. Wear to extremities. Overall, a beautiful set of near fine books.

From Wiki: Joseph Addison (1 May 1672 – 17 May 1719) was an English essayist, poet, playwright and politician. He was the eldest son of Lancelot Addison. His name is usually remembered alongside that of his long-standing friend Richard Steele, with whom he founded The Spectator magazine. His simple prose style marked the end of the mannerisms and conventional classical images of the 17th century. In 1712, Addison wrote his most famous work, Cato, a Tragedy. Based on the last days of Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis, it deals with conflicts such as individual liberty versus government tyranny, Republicanism versus Monarchism, logic versus emotion, and Cato's personal struggle to retain his beliefs in the face of death. It has a prologue written by Alexander Pope and an epilogue by Samuel Garth. The play was a success throughout the British Empire. It continued to grow in popularity, especially in America, for several generations. It is cited by some historians as a literary inspiration for the American Revolution, being known to many of the Founding Fathers. General George Washington sponsored a performance of Cato for the Continental Army during the difficult winter of 1777–78 at Valley Forge. According to John J. Miller, "no single work of literature may have been more important than Cato" for the leaders of the American revolution. Scholars have identified the inspiration for several famous quotations from the American Revolution in Cato. These include: Patrick Henry's famous ultimatum: "Give me liberty or give me death!" (Supposed reference to Act II, Scene 4: "It is not now time to talk of aught/But chains or conquest, liberty or death."). Nathan Hale's valediction: "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country." (Supposed reference to Act IV, Scene 4: "What a pity it is/That we can die but once to serve our country."). Washington's praise for Benedict Arnold in a letter: "It is not in the power of any man to command success; but you have done more – you have deserved it." (Clear reference to Act I, Scene 2: "'Tis not in mortals to command success; but we'll do more, Sempronius, we'll deserve it.").

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