London, Cooper & Graham, 1796.. First Edition. 2 volumes. 8°, contemporary mottled calf, smooth spine heavily gilt with red lettering-piece (author and title) and green lettering-piece (volumes); slight wear at extremities; marbled endleaves; all edges marbled. Occasional light browning and faint dampstains, but overall a handsome set, in very good condition. Signature of the Conde de Rio Maior Antonio on each half-title. (12 ll.), 408 pp.; (2 ll.), 454 pp. *** FIRST EDITION. Major topics are the nature of humans vs. animals, types of human society, the ability of humans to use natural resources, the political economy of agricultural societies, and the government of agricultural societies. Jean Herrenschwand (Murten, Switzerland, 1728-Paris, 1812), also known as Johann Daniel Caspar Herrenschwand, was a judge in the Swiss regiments in the French service, and by 1805 was living in Paris. He has often been confused with his brother, Johann Friedrich, a Swiss physician who died in Bern in 1796; in fact, BMC and NUC both list this work under Johann Friedrich Herrenschwand's name. He was the author of several other works on political economy, most notably the De l'economie politique moderne ( 1786), Discours sur le commerce extérieur des nations européennes (1787-90), and Du vrai gouvernement des peuples (1802). In Du vrai gouvernement des peuples de la terre, London & Paris, 1801-2, he advocates his favorite remedy for economic ills: an increased number of independent consumers ("consommateurs indépendants par excellence") with an increased supply of coined precious metals. Herrenschwand can be considered a bridge between the schools of Quesnay and Adam Smith. Herrenschwand, along with Quesnay, favors agriculture and a balance between production and consumption. With Adam Smith, he believes in the beneficial influence of high wages. In opposition to both of them, however, he considers foreign trade an evil. *** Kress B.3197. Goldsmiths'-Kress no. 16541. Palgrave, Dictionary of Political Economy (1894-99) II, 302. Nouvelle biographie générale XXIV, 463. NUC: DLC, NN, MH, ICJ.
