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DEFOE, Daniel.
Essays upon Several Subjects: or, Effectual Ways for advancing the Interest of the Nation.
Wherein are plainly laid down, The Means by which the Subjects in general may be eased and enriched; the Poor relieved, and Trade encreased in the most material Branches of it, viz. in Constituting Seamen to theirs and the Nations Advantage, for Encouragement of Merchants and Merchandizing; for Relief of the Poor of Friendly Societies; for discouraging Vice, and encouraging Vertue; the Usefulness; of Banks and Assurances; to prevent Bankrupts; with the surest way to recover bad Debs; and many other considerable things, profitable and conducing to the great Advantage of the Nation in general.
Publisher: London: printed, and sold by the booksellers of London and Westminster, 1702
Stock code: 68888
Price: £4,500 Currency Conversion
First edition, third issue. First published in 1697 as An Essay upon Projects, this is a re-issue of the edition printed for Thomas Ballard, 1702. Except for the title pages, the sheets remained unchanged through at least four issues (possibly as many as seven). Defoe's essays "included the kinds of ideas that were making other men rich. One of them, on naval recruitment and maintenance, eventually helped lead to his invitation to speak to a parliamentary committee. Several show an early, acute understanding of banks, the new credit economy, and the transportation system necessary for increasing trade. Others reveal an acute awareness of social problems and groups of needy human beings, among them widows and 'idiots" (ODNB). The preface (p. iii) states that Defoe had kept the greatest part of the book by him for near five years.
Octavo (181 × 113 mm). Contemporary unlettered sheep, double blind rules, inner borders with a curved dotted roll in blind, red sprinkled edges. Rubbed, spine worn at head, small repair at head of front joint, but an excellent copy, the paper clean and fresh throughout.
